After tactical helmets and uniforms became standard issue in the IDF, meet the newest hit for Sukkot 2025: a tactical carrier for the Four Species.
As observant Jews know, even the most expensive Etrog or perfectly straight Lulav becomes invalid for ritual use if its tip is damaged or its central spine bends out of alignment. To address this, the IDF’s Military Rabbinate has developed a specially designed, lightweight, rigid carrier to protect the Four Species, even in the harsh conditions of Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and the West Bank.
Some 2,000 of these carriers have been distributed to combat soldiers in recent days, along with thousands of pocket prayer books for the upcoming pilgrimage festival, published by Koren.
Last year, amid the Iron Swords War, the Military Rabbinate developed the “tactical sukkah.” Following field feedback and a review process, this year's model has been upgraded and renamed the “Gazebo-Tactical Sukkah.”
The sukkah retains its compact dimensions, just one meter high, wide and long, but now features faster setup and takedown. The goal is to create a sukkah that meets halachic requirements, is as lightweight as possible and sits low to the ground, reducing the exposure risk for soldiers.
The upgraded kit includes a metal frame that assembles easily, three elastic bands that serve as halachically valid walls, removing the need for fabric panels, and foldable S'chach for the roof.
As with last year, soldiers may only set up this kind of sukkha with the approval of an officer ranked lieutenant colonel or higher, to avoid unnecessary exposure to danger.
Both the tactical carrier and the sukkah were made possible through a donation from the Association for Israel’s Soldiers and Friends of the IDF (FIDF) in the United States.
The Military Rabbinate plans to distribute about 1,200 tactical sukkhas: roughly 700 to units stationed in Gaza, 350 to troops near Lebanon and Syria, and 150 to those in the West Bank.
Larger, halachically compliant sukkhas will be built on IDF bases in the rear, with Four Species and prayer books also made available.
Sukkah prices drop
There’s good news for civilians too: sukkah prices are down this year. According to "Sukkot Hadar," a leading supplier, the drop is due to lower shipping costs and a more favorable exchange rate for the U.S. dollar.
“We’re seeing a sharper divide in demand,” a company representative said. “On the one hand, people are looking for a simple, budget-friendly sukkah. On the other hand, we’re seeing increased interest in larger, taller and more luxurious models.”
A standard sukkah measuring 3-by-3 meters now sells for between 200 shekels and 400 shekels, but for 1,400 shekels you can upgrade to a telescopic sukkah that adjusts in size from 1.6 meters to 3 meters in width and length. The premium model includes a reinforced frame, fabric walls with windows, a storage bag, and a halachic livud strap kit that strengthens and validates the sukkah walls.
At Sukkot Hadar, the team has tackled a common storage issue: the bamboo poles used to support the s’chach (roof covering). To simplify storage and transport, the company has begun marketing a metal support bar that spans the sukkah’s ceiling. This allows for the use of shorter bamboo poles, 1.65 meters long instead of the traditional 3.2 meters, without compromising stability.
For those who insist on sleeping in the sukkah, the company is also offering lightweight folding beds at a significantly lower price than usual, just 179 shekels, including a mattress. There’s also a child-sized sukkah made of plastic for 49 shekels.
At Sukkot Nehalim, CEO Shai Elitzur says there’s been a steady rise in demand for sukkah walls made of breathable fabrics like cotton, driven largely by increasingly hot holiday weather. Printed fabrics have also grown in popularity, with images of the Western Wall and the Seven Species topping the list of favorites.
This year, a new lighting option has hit the market: a Govee RGBIC LED light strip, coated for weather resistance and priced at 199 shekels. The strip syncs with a smartphone app that lets users control the lighting, and even match it to music.
Elitzur also notes that their sukkahs are available in varying levels of halachic stringency. Options range from the standard model to the Mehadrin version, which includes a horizontal reinforcement bar at mid-height, and the Mehadrin lavud barzel model, featuring four additional crossbars for extra support and halachic enhancement. Prices start at 649 shekels, and the metal frames come with a 10-year warranty.
A satirical 'weapon' against Sukkot pests
According to Jewish tradition, seven exalted guests, the Ushpizin, visit the sukkah during the holiday. But they’re not the only ones. In most parts of the country, uninvited insects tend to drop by as well.
Fortunately, satirists Assaf Voll and Gil Slovik entered a new product to address the problem - the “Pashkevil of Salvation,” available on their Zalman Express website.
Styled like the ultra-Orthodox wall posters known as Pashkevil, the 39 shekel sheet (shipping not included) is printed on thick paper that, according to its creators, provides more shade than sun.
Whether or not it keeps bugs away, one thing is certain: it keeps the holiday spirit alive with a smile.