Sukkot is an important religious festival for the Jewish community, and London Zoo is supporting it with the most unique Sukkah in the city.
From Monday 2 – Friday 6 October, the first Sukkah in our history will take pride of place at the heart of London Zoo. It will be there for families to picnic and pray in, while you spend the day exploring and learning about our 14,000 animals. Kosher snacks will also be available to enjoy*.
The London Zoo Sukkah is a joint project between London Zoo and South Hampstead Synagogue, and will be decorated by children from the synagogue to help bring the celebration to life. We have been advised by Rabbi Shlomo Levin, to ensure that it is halachically compliant.
Our animals and beautiful gardens offer a powerful connection to nature, and our conservation work is a wonderful example of tikkun olam. London Zoo, the oldest scientific zoo in the world, is home to dozens of threatened species including Sumatran tigers, Asiatic lions and Humboldt penguins – all part of important global breeding programmes designed to protect their future. All proceeds from tickets will support ZSL’s vital work for wildlife in the UK and overseas.
We hope you'll be able to join us to celebrate Sukkot surrounded by wildlife. Entry to the Sukkah will be free with Zoo entry, and all tickets to London Zoo must be booked in advance.
Book tickets to London Zoo
*More details on kosher food options will be made available closer to the time. Extra charges apply.
What is the festival of Sukkot?
The tent you will see in the heart of the Zoo is a Sukkah – an important part of the Jewish seven-day festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles).
The festival commemorates the Divine protection the Israelites received during their 40-year wandering in the wilderness at the time of the Exodus from Egypt in the 13th Century BCE.
At the time of harvest when the granaries and storehouses are full, Jews are commanded to leave the security of their homes and eat, sleep, and spend time for seven days in flimsy booths open to the elements.
The lesson that the Jewish community take from this festival is that security does not come from material wealth or the solid structures of homes but from the unseen G-d who protects them even in the flimsiest and most vulnerable of life’s moments.
During Sukkot observant Jews will eat their meals in a Sukkah.
Visitors are welcome to enter the Sukkah at London Zoo, whatever your religion or background. Please remember it is a sacred place.
