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Purim

PURIM 

 
 
Celebrating Purim With Your Family 
Purim is a holiday that feels like it's made for families. Traditions include dressing up, sharing gift baskets or mishloach manot with friends, making noise by shaking groggers, and staying up late with your friends and community. People do tzedakah and also read the Book of Esther, or megillah, which shares the story of how the Jews of Persia were saved from annihilation.
 
Meet the Characters!
 
 
The Purim story presents us with a fascinating cast of characters. A misguided king, an evil adviser, a wise cousin behind the scenes, and the brave heroine who saves the day – there’s something for everyone in this tale. But it’s not just a story about people who may have lived long ago. These characters also show us timeless examples of ego, power, dignity, humility and bravery, and hold plenty of lessons for our modern lives.....Click for more
 
 
Have you heard of the Purim Super Hero?
 
 
 
 
 
Making Hamantaschen - with Shalom Sesame!
 

A young boy visits his Jewish friend and learns how to make hamantaschen.
 
 
 
 

Purim you said?

With celebrations including costumes, skits and songs, noisemakers, and gifts of food, Purim is definitely full of fun! Purim is a joyous holiday that affirms and celebrates Jewish survival and continuity throughout history. The main communal celebration involves a public reading—usually in the synagogue—of the Book of Esther (M'gillat Esther), which tells the story of the holiday: Under the rule of King Ahashverosh, Haman, the king's adviser, plots to exterminate all of the Jews of Persia. His plan is foiled by Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai, who ultimately save the Jews of Persia from destruction. The reading of the m'gillah typically is a rowdy affair, punctuated by booing and noise-making when Haman's name is read aloud.
 

Purim is an unusual holiday in many respects. First, Esther is the only biblical book in which God is not mentioned. Second, Purim, like Hanukkah, is viewed as a minor festival according to Jewish custom, but has been elevated to a major holiday as a result of the Jewish historical experience. Over the centuries, Haman has come to symbolize every anti-Semite in every land where Jews were oppressed. The significance of Purim lies not so much in how it began, but in what it has become: a thankful and joyous affirmation of Jewish survival.

Tue, May 17 2022 16 Iyar 5782