Two bridges!

I, unfortunately, have not been doing much bike riding, lately. But this afternoon I got out my NYC bike and took it for a pleasant spin over the Williamsburg Bridge and then back over the Manhattan and NYU. It was my first time riding over the Manhattan, I believe. Very fun in the cool spring weather (=no sweating) and with the bright sunshine gleaming off the East River.

While in one of the Hasidic neighborhoods in Williamsburg, I spotted this building. At first, the V-shaped pattern looked to me like the fire escapes on the outside of the old, giant movie houses of lore. Then I realized that these were balconies, not stairs -- and that they're staggered pattern is almost surely so each is exposed to at least some sky (which means that a proper sukkah -- they have to be exposed to the sky -- could be erected there).

Of course, we are quite a way to Sukkot! Pesach is much (much!) closer.

Hope you are enjoying the spring and that you will have a great -- and kasher! -- Pesach.

Sukkah City USA!

The weird structures to be glimpsed on the right (and the left in the distance) are part of a collection of futuristic, whimsical sukkot that have descended on Union Square in New York City (as part of the Sukkah City project).

Here are a few more pics of my favorites:

The woman in the above shot was explaining to the cop what a Sukkah is.

It was a beautiful day to be able to take a short lunch break and see something extraordinary!

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More shots of Sukkah City here.

Click on the below image for a full-size image of the flyer:

Welcome to our (first!) sukkah

That's what Minna seems to be saying (electric screwdriver in hand). With around $35 in lumber and a kit from the Sukkah project, Minna (with only minimal help from me, I have to admit) got the frame of our sukkah just about all up, today. This is the first time since I was a kid that I've lived somewhere that had enough (unshaded) outdoor space for a sukkah, so I'm pretty excited. And with the Jewish holidays so early this year, the weather really might be nice enough not only to eat in the sukkah, but maybe to sleep out there, too!

Thanks, Minna!