As I walked to Ascent every morning during the week of Sukkot, I always wondered who I would meet in Ascent’s sukkah to make a bracha (blessing) on the lulav and etrog.
During Sukkot there was a Mechina group staying at Ascent. I tried to engage them and encourage them to come and make a bracha with me. The first two days I was not successful, but the third day I approached a nice young man who was sitting and talking to other young people. I explained how making a bracha on the lulav and etrog is a very special way to unite the Jewish people. He said he liked that idea and came into the sukkah with me. I put a yarmulke on his head and talked about joining the four species together which represents union of every kind of Jew. He told me he had never done this mitzvah (commandment) before, so we said the blessing of shehechiyanu, customarily said when doing a mitzvah for the first time.
Afterwards, you could see by the look on his face that he was very excited for his first big Jewish experience. Several of his friends then followed his example and made the blessing also.
And so more young Jews were united – with each other and with Judaism. It was an amazing holiday, to say the least.