By: Kanisha Fowler
Mariah Richardson chose to take last week off and celebrate the Festival of Booths, a holiday of her Jewish faith. The Festival of Booths is a week-long holiday that Jewish people celebrate to remind them of the 40 years their ancestors wandered in the wilderness.
“It’s a rejoicing holiday,” Richardson said. “It’s one of my favorites.”
Because Richardson is a college student, she celebrated in her own way. She took showers on campus at her dorm and still attended class. Other Jews may have eaten particular things during that time, but she continued to eat in the cafeteria. Richardson said she is a messianic Jew and she does things differently.
This was Richardson’s first year celebrating the holiday since she’s been in college. This was the first time she had a location to do it.
“If I had done it anywhere else, I would have had to set the tent up every night and take it down every morning,” said Richardson.
Her tent was located in her friends’ backyard; they have a house off-campus and said they didn’t mind if she kept her tent there.
The holiday lasted from Wednesday night, October 8, to Wednesday night October 15. Richardson said she remained in the tent despite constant rain and a tornado warning which happened on October 14. She said it didn’t bother her that much.
There is normally a big feast on the last day of the holiday, and Richardson said she celebrated in Asheville, N.C. with one of her friends.
Being one who loves nature, it wasn’t hard for her to pitch a tent and sleep in it. Richardson is from Ash County, which is in the mountains. She is a senior at Gardner-Webb studying biblical studies and social science.
Richardson’s goal is to teach the Bible at an orphanage where men and women, rescued from human trafficking, are housed.