Sukkah balconies in Israel
Why a sukkah balcony must be open to the sky, when it needs a permit, and what it can add to an apartment's value.
A sukkah balcony (מרפסת סוכה, mirpeset sukkah) is a balcony with nothing built above it, so a kosher sukkah can stand open to the sky. In Israeli apartment buildings, that means the balconies are staggered so no floor covers the one below.
What makes a balcony a sukkah balcony
- Open to the sky: no balcony, roof or ledge above it
- Big enough for a family table, since the sukkah is where meals are eaten for the week of Sukkot
- Easy to reach from the living room or kitchen
“the Sukkah balcony must be open to the sky and to the stars”
Do you need a permit?
A temporary sukkah for the holiday is one thing. A permanent structure is another. An appraiser quoted by BuyItInIsrael says a sukkah left up all year for storage is treated as permanent construction, which needs a permit and the neighbours' consent.
In 2023, planning authorities moved to let local committees permit open sukkah balconies beyond a building's rights, without the old 14 square metre limit. Ask your local committee what applies to your building today.
What a sukkah balcony adds to the value
Haim Mesilty, chairman of Israel's Real Estate Appraisers' Association, told BuyItInIsrael that a sukkah balcony can add 4% to 5% to an apartment's value in religious neighbourhoods and settlements, and sometimes more.
For many religious buyers, appraiser Yitzhak Raphael told the same site, a sukkah balcony is close to a condition of the purchase.
Designing around the sukkah
- Outlets and lighting placed for the sukkah, so there are no cables across the floor
- A storage spot for the sukkah walls and schach the rest of the year
- A door wide enough to carry dishes out to the table
If you are buying new, these are worth adding to your changes to a new-build apartment.
General information. Ask your rabbi about the sukkah itself and your local committee about permits.