The picture, taken from Adi Hirschbain’s collection shows a group of ultra-orthodox Jews checking the palm branches. The poster above the palm branches requests that people dress modestly when entering the neighbourhood.
Judging by the people in the picture and the notices on the walls, the photograph was probably taken in a Hareidi (ultra-orthodox Jewish) neighbourhood, most likely in Jerusalem if we consider the stones and the building. The Chassidic Jews that can be seen are wearing typical Chassidic clothes. The reasons that they dress this way are related to modestly and tradition. The long side burns (peot) are due to the prohibition in the Torah of cutting the sideburns. Ultra-orthodox Jews are very sensitive to the way people dress. Above the palm branches is a poster which requests that people entering the neighbourhood should dress modestly.
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Sukkah - During the festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles), Jews are commanded in the Torah to leave their permanent home and live in a temporary abode (Sukkah) for seven days. The Sukkah’s purpose is to provide shade and must therefore be built, according to Jewish ritual law, under the sky (not under a balcony). The walls can be made of any material so long as they are secure.
The roof of the Sukkah (Schach) must provide more shade than light during the day but provide enough room to see the stars at night, thereby giving a sense of a temporary abode. The Schach must be of detached vegetation that has not been used for anything else. In celebration of the festival, the JNF (Jewish National Fund) invites people to come and take Schach for free from some of their forests. Some people collect it on mass and take it back to their communities.
