Force Majeure
Digital Guide
1. Introduction
Created for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot, this immersive installation by multidisciplinary artist Jonathan York explores the powerful interplay between destruction and renewal, loss and hope. Force Majeure, the sixth iteration of the artist’s Sukkah Project, invites viewers into a space where nature, history, and memory converge. Burnt wood, including small pieces gathered from homes destroyed during the October 7 terrorist attacks, stands in stark contrast to the living garden, which symbolizes resilience and the enduring force of life. Hebrew poems by twelfth century Sephardic Jewish scholar Yehuda HaLevi engraved into the wood deepen the historical and spiritual dimensions of this work, while a soundscape of natural and archival recordings from across Israel envelops the space. This installation reflects York’s journey through Israel over the past year and his ongoing exploration of the sukkah as both a spiritual symbol and a contemporary artistic medium.
2. “Force Majeure”
A lawyer by day, the artist chose Force Majeure as the title of this year’s iteration of The Sukkah Project. Force majeure is a legal term (derived from the French phrase “superior force”) that describes unexpected and disruptive events that nullify a contract. In the context of October 7, we are left to contemplate: what is the ‘force majeure’? Acts of terror, or the strength of a people who were broken but rise again? The devastation wrought by war, or the resilience of nature which continues to bloom? This installation suggests that these disparate acts and emotions can—and must—be held simultaneously as we collectively move forward after a devastating year.
3. Burnt Wood
The 6,000 pounds of burnt wood used in this sukkah were carefully selected and hand-scorched by the artist, symbolizing the fragility of life and the devastation of loss. The wood evokes the recent destruction of hundreds of homes on October 7 and the devastated landscapes of northern Israel due to rocket fire over the past year. By burning the wood using a process derived from the Japanese tradition of shou sugi ban, the charred wood becomes preserved and protected from the elements. This wood, therefore, is not just a relic of devastation, but also a testament to resilience—the beginning of a story that will continue to unfold.
4. Living Garden
At the heart of this installation is a lush, living garden—symbolizing hope, life, and renewal. Evoking the green landscapes of Israel, 250 plants emerge from the Skirball’s concrete courtyard, offering a powerful juxtaposition to the surrounding burnt wood. Just as nature regenerates after destruction, the living garden represents the enduring spirit of humanity and the constant force of growth, even in the face of catastrophe.
5. Wood from Kibbutz Beeri and Kibbutz Nirim
Broken pieces of wood in the center of the sukkah were collected by the artist from the ruins of homes in Kibbutz Beeri and Kibbutz Nirim, communities that were ravaged during the attacks of October 7. By incorporating these materials, the installation holds within it not just the memory of destruction but the spirit of rebuilding. These pieces are both artifacts and symbols, grounding the installation in contemporary reality.
6. Poems by Yehuda HaLevi
Excerpts from two poems by Yehuda HaLevi (c. 1075-1141), one of the most significant Jewish poets and philosophers, can be found engraved into wooden planks inside the sukkah. Considered a “proto-Zionist” by biographer Hillel Halkin, HaLevi wrote from medieval Spain about the deep connection between the Jewish people and the land of Israel, where he would venture in the last year of his life and find his final resting place. The words on the front and back walls inside the sukkah read:
“Zion, do you not ask about the wellbeing of your captives? Those of your flock that ensue thy peace? And Peace from him that in captivity longs for you, and cries tears like Hermon's dew, and years to shed them on your hills.”
“My heart is in the east, yet I am at the edge of the west. How can I taste the food I eat? How can it give me pleasure? ”
In addition to reading the inscriptions, HaLevi’s two poems can also be heard in the accompanying soundscape thanks to archival audio recordings provided by the National Library of Israel.
These poems ground the sukkah in centuries of Jewish longing for the land of Israel and a fervent wish to liberate Jews trapped in both physical and spiritual captivity, offering visitors a moment of reflection on the continuing need for resilience through words that have transcended generations and still echo powerfully today.
7. Soundscape
This eighteen-channel soundscape draws from recordings made by the artist across Israel—forests, deserts, rivers, springs, farms, kibbutzim, and locations affected by the current war—and drawn from archival sources found at the National Library of Israel. This auditory experience envelops visitors, evoking the resilience of the land and people of Israel, offering a moment of meditation on the tensions between serenity and turmoil.
The soundscape draws inspiration from the pioneering 1970 Jerusalem River Project, Israel’s first conceptual artwork, which used sound to transform an empty valley into an auditory experience. By engaging both the past and present, this installation is a nod to Israel’s artistic legacy, while also pushing the boundaries of what a sukkah can be.
8. About the Artist
Born and raised in Los Angeles to a Persian Jewish family, Jonathan York is a multihyphenate—an artist, lawyer, speaker and filmmaker. By day, York operates a private investment firm. By night, York is a multidisciplinary artist who has worked across installation art, photography, and film. His large-scale installation works merge architecture with fine art, often serving as a medium for Jewish community and interactivity.
Additionally, his first film AL TIRA—documenting the human stories of the Israel-Hamas War—has been screened across the US and in Israel. He is currently working on a new film about the process of creating The Sukkah Project: Force Majeure, which will debut later this year. York received his undergraduate degree and law degree from Stanford University, and his master’s from the University of Southern California. He resides in Los Angeles.
9. About The Sukkah Project
Building a yearly sukkah with his grandfather—an engineer in Iran before he and his family were forced to flee the country in 1979—was the highlight of York’s childhood. For the past six years, York has honored the holiday and his grandfather’s legacy by creating large-scale artworks that explore the sukkah as a medium—each installation, meticulously researched and uniquely conceived. Collectively known as The Sukkah Project, this year's sukkah, Force Majeure, continues this project, guided by the events of the past year.
Drawing on diverse sources of Jewish meaning, including the seventy-two names of God from Kabbalah, the Mishkan, and the Talmudic seven realms of heavens, York reimagines the sukkah each year, fostering deep connections between history, environment, and the present day.
10. Acknowledgements
A project like this does not happen in a vacuum—it takes a village.
Thank you to the Jewish Federation Los Angeles and Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles for providing lead financial support of The Sukkah Project: Force Majeure. To the Board of the Iranian American Jewish Federation for additional financial support. And to 30 Years After for facilitating contributions as the project’s fiscal sponsor.
To Bobco Metals and the Shooshani Family for graciously sponsoring the materials used to build the steel skeleton of the Sukkah. And to ZAL Industrial for providing critical hardware.
To my dear friend Yael Margalit who conspired and collaborated with me to bring this living garden to life. To Green Valley Growers and Greener Days Landscaping for lending over 200 plants to make the installation bloom.
To the National Library of Israel for opening its archive to me throughout this year and for contributing historical sound recordings to the work. Special thanks to the brilliant Dr. Amalia Kedem for sharing her knowledge with me, and to Naomi Schacter and Rachel Neiman for providing access to this incredible institution throughout the past year.
To my friends in Kibbutz Beeri and Kibbutz Nirim, especially Nieve Higgins, Yarden Tzemach and Ido Schwartz, who entrusted me with the sacred fragments that this sukkah is built around.
To Benaya Cohen, a soldier and forester, for guiding me through the mountains, rivers and valleys of Israel as I produced this installation.
To Arturo Ramirez, a friend and skilled artisan, who worked with me to weld the 1,000 pound steel substructure of the sukkah.
To Tomer Ronen and Omer Barzilay, for the technical production and sound design that enabled me to tell this story through sound.
To Brenda Boudaie, who created the project’s website with immense attention, care and love.
To Candice Navi, who lent her graphic design talents to create the exhibition’s visual signature.
To the staff of the Skirball for helping shepherd this project to completion. In particular, Julie Gumpert and Marlene Braga, who oversaw the project.
To Dakota Fine for capturing the process of creating the sukkah in LA on video with a skillful eye. And to Roy Berkovich who accompanied me with his camera throughout Israel to record its production there.
To Ashley Navid and Danielle Moses, who gave of their architectural prowess to help me engineer this sukkah.
To my incredible friends who lent their hands, heads and hearts throughout this process, and who are too many to name. They made this project a joy. I am especially grateful to Amit Shemesh, Ryan Sassouni, Diba Shooshani, Rachel Sumekh, Danielle York, Sigalit Perelson, Ben Scharfstein, Roi Pozniak, Isabel Maddahi and Amir Ahobim.
Most importantly, to my family who inspires me to create and to give. They are my North Star in everything I do. A special note of gratitude to my sister, Eliana, who has been by my side every step of the way.
And thank you, for being here.
