The structure built near the U. Nebraska-Lincoln Union Plaza has green tarp for its walls, with garlands of leaves hung along the sides. The top is made from branches, but there are gaps in the roof. When a person goes inside the structure, he or she should be able to see the stars.

The structure is a sukkah, a structure built for Sukkot, a week-long Jewish holiday. The sukkah was built by UNL Hillel, a group dedicated to allowing Jewish college students or students interested in Judaic studies to connect.

UNL Hillel is also hosting a Sukkah Open House on Sept. 28, where students can come and learn about Sukkot. The Open House starts at 6 p.m. and is open to the public.

Sukkot is a harvest holiday, sometimes called the Jewish Thanksgiving, said Spencer Davenport, UNL Hillel member and a senior business administration member. The holiday signifies the 40 years that the Jews wandered around the desert, having to make temporary structures to survive.

It’s a good time to pause and give thanks, Davenport said.

Two years ago, he and other UNL Hillel members got permission to set up the sukkah on the UNL campus. They were able to build the structure after finding a company that made sukkah materials, which they still use two years later.

People recognize Jewish holidays like Hannukah and Passover, said Kelsey McCormick, UNL Hillel’s vice president and a senior advertising major, but not as many people know about Sukkot.

Building the sukkah was also beneficial for the group, McCormick said. UNL Hillel is about eight years old and is still fairly small. Building the structure allowed the group to reacquaint with each other.

The group will also host an open house, which goes with the tradition of having a meal in the sukkah. Snacks will be provided at the open house. A custom is to also sleep in the sukkah, however, that is becoming less common, McCormick said.

People see it and that sparks interest, McCormick said. It’s nice for the community.