Holy Name Press Releases

Holy Name Medical Center Erects Sukkah

September 29, 2015

As part of Holy Name Medical Center's ongoing efforts to provide culturally-diverse amenities to patients and the surrounding community, the hospital has once again constructed a sukkah for patients' families, physicians and staff members. The temporary shelter, used by those of the Jewish faith during the festival of Sukkot, symbolizes the time when the Israelites lived in booths or tents for forty years as they left Egypt and wandered the wilderness.

Sukkahs are typically built large enough for families to live in, but are mainly used just for people to eat their meals. This is the fifth year that Holy Name, the first hospital in North Jersey to do so, put up a sukkah and invited Jewish people to take their meals under the brightly-decorated blue and white striped shelter.

"As a faith-based hospital, we're particularly sensitive to other religious and cultural beliefs and try to make accommodations for the medical, cultural and spiritual needs of every patient," said Michael Maron, president and CEO of Holy Name. "Having the sukkah is a wonderful way to make our patients' families and employees feel more at home and to teach those of other faiths what it symbolizes."

The sukkah was put up before the start of Sukkot, which began at sundown on Sunday, September 27, and stretches until October 6. It is located on the patio in the Medial Center's courtyard.