Purim

INTRODUCTION:

The following is written to be read at our family's Purim celebration (that is, if it ever comes to pass!). Otherwise, it is just a small overview of the holiday.

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Purim is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the time when Queen Esther saved her people from the dreadful Haman. Many Jewish families around the world celebrate Purim with feasts and traditions. Today, I am going to tell you a little about the traditional way many Jews celebrate this happy holiday.

Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of the Jewish month Adar. Some of the most important traditions include reciting the book of Esther (called Megillot Esther), praying special prayers, giving gifts of food and drink, giving to the poor, and having a celebratory meal afterward. Many of the traditional foods used at this time are remembrances of people or things in the story of Esther. For example:

1. Hamantaschen ("Haman's pockets") or Oznei Haman ("Haman's ears"), a triangular cookie that can be shaped to look like Haman's hat. 
2. Very long braided challah (in memory of the rope used to hang Haman) 
3. Soup with kreplach (specially prepared dough with stuff in the middle, triangular shaped in memory of Haman's hat) 
4. Turkey (in memory of King Ahasuerus's reign from India ("Hodu") to Ethiopia and of his foolishness, the turkey is foolish) 

While the Megillot is being read, a common practice is to “blot out” Haman's name as it is being read. One custom developed is writing Haman's name on one of two smooth stones. Whenever Haman's name is read, the stones are knocked together until the name is blotted off. Other traditions include writing Haman's name on the soles of your shoes, and whenever Haman's name is read, you stomp your feet, showing your contempt. Another method is shaking a noise-maker. One of the more common noisy toys is called a “gragger”. The gragger is a noisy wooden or plastic device that, when swung around, clicks. The purpose of these noise-makers is to drown out Haman's name.

One common greeting during the Purim celebration is (in Hebrew) “Chag Purim Sameach” or in Yiddish “Freilichin Purim”. It is hard to translate, but the Hebrew loosely translates to “Happy Purim Holiday”, and the Yiddish translates to “A Festive Purim”.

HISTORICAL PURIM:

Adolf Hitler forbade Purim in Germany. In a speech made on November 10, 1938, Julius Streicher (a writer of a lot of Nazi propoganda) assumed that “just as the Jews killed 75,000 Persians in one night, so would the Jews have killed the Gemans if they had a chance”.

Nazi attacks against the Jews often came around the time of Jewish festivals. On Purim in 1942, ten Jews were hanged to avenge the death of Haman's ten sons. On a similar incident in 1943, ten Jews were shot from the Piotrków ghetto in central Poland.

Wikipedia mentions, “In an apparent connection made by Hitler between his Nazi regime and the role of Haman, he stated in a speech made on January 30, 1944, that if the Nazis were defeated, the Jews could celebrate 'a second Purim'. Seconds before he was hanged, Julius Streicher called out 'Purim Fest 1946!'”

IN CONCLUSION:

The Purim festival, although struggling through some rather rough times, still survives. The next Purim starts the evening of Wednesday, 7th March, 2012. It ends the evening of Thursday, 8th March, 2012. Join us today as we celebrate this joyful festival!