It's a Jewish holiday celebrated all over the world.
We dwell in Sukkot (foliage-covered booths), and have festive meals there.
We say special prayers, including prayers for rain.
We wave the four species, to symbolize the upcoming rainy season (palm branch, citron, willow, myrtle).
On the last day, we complete the yearly cycle of reading the whole Torah, and we dance with the Torah-scrolls.
Sukkot is commanded in the Torah (Leviticus ch.23). It commemorates the protection which God gave us in the wilderness, and it gives thanks for the annual ingathering of grain. It also marks the beginning of mentioning the rainy season in our prayers.
The religion that celebrates yon kippur and Hanukkah is known as Judaism, which is the oldest religion...they also celebrate pesach, sukkot, purim and many other Jewish festivals.
The Torah tells us (Deuteronomy ch. 16, end) to be happy at that time. Sukkoth celebrates the Divine protection in the wilderness.
sukkot is the holiday of harvest.
Simchat Torah is right after Sukkot.
In 2009, Sukkot will be October 3rd to the 9th
It's called a machzor shel sukkot.
Translation: Eid al-Mathal (عيد المظال) or As-Sukkot (السوكوت)
No, there is no requirement to stay in a hotel during Sukkot. In fact, the requirement of Sukkot is that you build a temporary shelter to sleep in.
Sukkot is celebrated among Jewish families, and special prayers are added in the synagogue services.
Jews do not fast on Sukkot. In fact, fasting is prohibited since Sukkot is a joyful holiday. Although joy is an aspect in every Jewish holiday, Sukkot was specifically singled out by the Bible as a joyous holiday: Deuteronomy (16: 14-15) says, "you will be altogether joyful."
The first day. (The eighth day, which is equally important, is actually not part of Sukkot.)
The night of Hoshanah Rabbah (the evening entering into the seventh day of Sukkot).