Build a temporary home for just $101

KYLE BERGER REPORTER

Arnie Shuchat had a dream. For the first time, he decided, this year he was going to build a sukkah. After doing a little browsing on the Web, he found a simple set of plans for an eight-foot-by-seven-foot kosher sukkah and headed to Home Depot to collect everything he needed to get the job done.

As he searched for, then wrote down the number of each bin that held the many items he would need, he realized that once he had done this legwork, there was no reason for anyone else to have to go to the same trouble.

"It dawned on me that thousands of Jews might build a sukkah if they could just figure out how to do it simply without a big fuss," he said. "Once I got home, I scanned [the receipt] into the computer and fired off a copy of the plans to Rabbi Baitelman of Chabad, who approved the design and liked the idea of helping others expedite the construction of their own sukkah."

Shuchat's efforts have since turned into a new sukkah building program in conjunction with Chabad of Richmond that has already been promoted to thousands of families around Greater Vancouver via an e-mail flyer.

For $101, tax included, all of the materials, with the exception of the schach (bushes), can be purchased. Chabad will provide the list of materials, the construction plans, a copy of the receipt from Home Depot and advice if you run into any problems along the way, all free of charge.

As well, for a taxable donation of $200, arrangements can also be made for a group of what Shuchat calls "buildniks" to come to your home and construct the sukkah for you. All proceeds will go to either Chabad of Richmond or the Richmond Jewish Day School.

For more information about the sukkah building project, call Shuchat at 604-275-0513 or e-mail [email protected]. Anyone interested in volunteering to help build other sukkot can e-mail Shuchat directly at [email protected].

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