Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Jeffrey Schultze | Senior Airman John Harris, 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron force...... read more read more
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SOUTHWEST ASIA -- When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.
Senior Airman John Harris, 332nd Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron Force Protection, was close to completing a year of studying the Torah as a Messianic Jew when he received orders to an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.
To complete his year of studies, he wanted to celebrate Sukkot, which is also the last holiday of the religious year, even while at a deployed location.
"I spoke with the Chapel staff here and they put me in contact with a rabbi at (Joint Base Balad)," said Harris, who is deployed from Dover Air Force Base, Del.
With much support, Harris was able to celebrate Sukkot.
"It has been an unexpected joy for me to be able to celebrate Sukkot," said Harris, who is a native of Plaines, Mont. "My leadership has allowed me time to celebrate. It would have left me with a depressed feeling of loss if I couldn't have celebrated because it's important to me.
"Sukkot, otherwise known as Feast of Booths or Feast of Tabernacle, is the last fall feast," continued Harris.
According to Harris, there are two meanings to Sukkot: it celebrates the 40-year period when the children of Israel wandered in the desert in temporary shelters and it is a harvest festival.
A significant part of Sukkot is having a sukkah, which is a temporary structure to be used during the holiday.
Harris had to figure out how to build a structure that would not violate host-nation sensitivities.
"After discussing with the rabbi, I found a place on the side of the Chapel," said Harris.
With the help of Senior Airman Michael McHam and Airman 1st Class Collin Camp, both from 332nd ECES FP, Harris made a sukkah out of palm fronses, unfinished beams of wood and discarded boards.
"I hung fruit to symbolize rejoicing and glow sticks, because they are festive and represent good times to come," said Harris.
While not a requirement, Harris also wrote text on the wall about the holiday.
During the seven-day holiday, Harris spent time in the sukkah.
"I would take my meals to go and eat in there and when it was dark and the weather was nice I would pray and read in there as well," said the airman.
The location Harris is in also helped him celebrate.
"This was a great opportunity to bring things alive off the pages of the Bible," said Harris. "People have also asked me lots of questions which allowed me to share my religion with them."
Sukkot ended, Oct. 19, with Harris saying Khag Samei'akh or Happy Holiday.
| Date Taken: | 10.22.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 10.24.2011 09:13 |
| Story ID: | 78906 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Airman makes way to celebrate holiday, by Capt. Amber Kelly-Herard, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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