Florence Melton<\/a> School of Adult Jewish Learning. The schach should provide more shade than sun, be open enough to see the stars \u2014 or at least that you\u2019d get wet if it started to rain.<\/p>\nWhile his clients may see rain as a blessing, for Zakoon it presents a challenge: He can\u2019t use paper displays, paintings or any material that could be destroyed by the elements.<\/p>\n
The length of the decorations is also a consideration. Those up to 12 1\/2 inches can be considered part of the schach, but anything longer is considered something separate, which could present a problem \u2014 those in the succah must be sitting under the schach. Thus longer decorations need to be very narrow. Ya Ya uses thin ribbons, for example, to add length but avoid conflict with Jewish law, and hangs larger decorations or lights directly above the tables, so visitors don\u2019t risk sitting under them.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not enough to get the details mostly right \u2014 Ya Ya\u2019s design manager, Noa Kirshberg, said at some hotels, a rabbi gets on a ladder and takes exact measurements.<\/p>\n
Fortunately, Jewish law doesn\u2019t preclude stunning succahs \u2014 Kirshberg shows a reporter an album filled with photos of scrambling grape vines that were used to accent the Waldorf’s succah one year, to tables strewn with vases full of corn poppies and daffodils leveraged in a private home.<\/p>\n
Studio Ya Ya starts planning for Succot as early as a year in advance. But when the holiday actually arrives, so does another challenge: While the structures can be erected ahead of time, the succahs cannot be decorated far in advance because the flowers will wilt.<\/p>\n
Since Studio Ya Ya designs and maintains as many as 20 succahs \u2014 ranging in size from nine to 4,900 square feet \u2014 Zakoon hires up to 40 freelancers, who work round the clock in the days leading up to the holiday. Because flowers cannot be maintained on yom tov — the first one to two days of the holiday, with laws similar to those of Shabbat \u2013 the Ya Ya team rotates among its succahs on the interim days to change out arrangements and freshen up anything that has shifted.<\/p>\n
Another consideration? Repeat customers. Kirshberg noted that because hotels tend to get the same visitors year after year, Ya Ya aims for a fresh design annually.<\/p>\n
Also, each of the hotel\u2019s succahs must be unique and match the hotel\u2019s existing ambiance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Waldorf is luxurious and the King David is traditional,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Studio Ya Ya\u2019s hard work doesn\u2019t just enhance the experience for hotel and museum guests, said Schwartz \u2014 the company is doing a mitzvah, too.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeautification is considered greater sanctification of God\u2019s name,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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