{Purim} is the day we celebrate the Jewish people overcoming a plot by the Persian Empire to wipe us out.
You may have heard the expression ‘The whole Megillah’? Meaning the whole long story. That comes from the reading of the Megillah or the Book of Esther on Purim. Its the story of {Haman} (boo hiss) and {Mordecai} (yay) and of course the phenomenal {Queen Esther} (woohooo!!!).
We also give food parcels to friends and the needy. These {gift baskets} should contain at least two different foods/drinks so that two separate brochas (prayers) can be said over them.
A large part of Purim is that it is a celebration. As such we have celebratory meals and parties. Everyone gets dressed up, including the adults, and fairs/carnivals and parades with much singing and dancing take place.
This was our first Purim in Israel and it was quite the eye opener.
The children started by having special dress up days at school throughout the two weeks leading up to Purim. They had Hat/Hair do Day, Country Day, Celebrity Day, Pajama Day to name a few. They had face painting and hat making days. They made gift baskets to exchange with each other and to bring home.
The Friday before last was the annual Modi’in Purim parade. There were floats and jugglers and stilt walkers. There were ice cream vendors and candy floss and popcorn. There were balloons and bubble guns. There were entertainers and actors and singer and dancers. There was lots of fun!
On the Monday evening we went to the annual Absorption Centre Purim party. This is a party for Olim (new immigrants) and was great fun. Lots of kids, music, games, popcorn, candy floss and a show.
Then both Paul and I had work Purim parties. My theme was Supermarket and I went as Fairy Dish-washing Liquid. Paul didn’t have a theme so he went back to his roots and went as Clark Kent/Superman.
The kids were off school on Thursday and Friday so Paul and I took off Thursday (we get Friday off every week) and we dressed up and missioned around town doing our thing. We went to an anglo Shul to hear the Megillah and landed up getting there late and only hearing the last 5 minutes. I wasn’t feeling well so Paul took the kids to the {Se’udah} (meal) that we had been invited to. They had lots of fun eating and drinking and playing with all the kids there.
On Friday we were supposed to go to the Purim fair but by that stage I think we were a bit Purim’d out so we went to the park and just relaxed.
Needless to say, Purim in Israel is insane. Fun but insane.
Here are some pictures that Paul took over the Purim weekend.
And that’s enough of that 🙂
