"Under the same sky": the tradition of Sukkot at MEIS

From 14 October 2022 to 5 February 2023, the National Museum of Italian Judaism and the Shoah is hosting an exhibition dedicated to the feast of Sukkot, the 'feast of huts'. 

An idea born from the perfect mix of passionate research and a chance encounter. "Sotto lo stesso cielo - Under the same sky" will lead you to the discovery of the fundamental themes of the feast of Sukkot, all starting from a pivotal object: a wooden panel depicting the collective construction of a Sukkah - the hut symbol of the feast - formerly used precisely as a decoration for the structure itself, and coming from Praglia Abbey. This painting, on display together with a series of 9 other decorative panels, will tell you about one of the most important and fascinating festivities of the Jewish calendar. 
The days of Sukkot commemorate the hardships faced by the Jewish people during the forty years they spent in the desert, overcome thanks to the providence of Heaven and collaboration. A joyous feast that celebrates acceptance and connection with the land and its rhythms, while at the same time recalling the precariousness of life, symbolised by the ephemeral huts decorated with leaves and fruit, and the collective responsibility at the basis of a society.

The exhibition opens precisely with a reminder of nature. The Torah, the first part of the Hebrew Bible, wants the festival to be celebrated using four plant species in particular. So the cedar, myrtle, palm and willow introduce the fundamental values of Sukkot by showing themselves to you in all their simple beauty. In the spirit of cooperation, you will then be invited to a small treasure hunt to get to the heart of the narrative. In the same spirit, once you have understood the basic rules of the Sukkot tradition, you can give space to your creativity by using a tub full of colourful Lego to reproduce your own idea of Sukkah and welcome. A way to become part of the exhibition: the small, intimate huts will in fact be on display for a few days, later leaving space for other visitors' reproductions. At the end of the itinerary, the ten decorated wooden panels of Praglia Abbey are enhanced by the final expression of a masterful display designed by architect Giulia Gallerani with sustainable materials such as triple-wave cardboard. An interactive and evolving exhibition that is ageless and represents essential and contemporary values.

Under the same sky can be visited from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more detailed information, please visit the official museum website meis.museum/exhibitions/under-the-same-sky/ .

La mostra è curata da Amedeo Spagnoletto and Sharon Reichel.