It’s Purim, it’s Purim! Yay!!! Well, okay as of sundown it’s Purim — but why quibble?
Nothing to do this Purim? There’s a bevy of ways to honor the queen. Here in DC you can get your groove on at Play Nightclub, where there is going to be a rock-star style Purim Party.
And of course in NYC, R’Jill Hammer and Telshemesh will be having a Purim/Equinox celebration at the Manhattan JCC. Wish I could be there for that, but it’s just not going to happen this year.
It also looks like D’vorah Kelilah is having a ritual for those on the west coast. If you are in the San Francisco area, check out her website, www.shuvtamid.org, for local events.
If nothing else have a hammentashen and read the annual Telshemesh Purim Play!
Any more events people want to mention? Shout outs for all!
Technorati Tags: purim, esther, equinox, spring
I had a very quite Purim this year. In the past I’ve thrown a raucous Purimschpiel, so this was a little strange. I think I’ll throw the party again next year, I just felt kind of sad. My topsy-turvy Purim was to have a quite day instead of a big party where I read the bible and make people act it out. It’s much more fun than it sounds!
I did manage to make some hamentashen, but they just weren’t up to my usual standards. The first problem is that I couldn’t find a single store in DC that sells the poppy seed filling and I just didn’t feel like trekking to the suburbs. I gave in and made my own, but it’s just not as good. I don’t know what I do wrong — maybe it’s sitting in corn syrup for months that gives the canned stuff that special touch. The filling turned out a lot better than my previous attempts, which may have been because I let it sit for a day before using it.
I hope you all had a festive Purim and are now in preparation for Pesach. I have two tiny revisions to make the PeelaPom Haggadah, which I hope to have posted this week. There’s a couple of typos we discovered during the seder last year that both of my copy editors missed.
Technorati Tags: mohn, hamentashen, poppy seeds, purim, baking, passover, pesach, haggadah
With Purim rapidly approaching, I’ve been thinking a lot about the tradition of Shalach Manot — gifts of the hands. First I was thinking I’d send one of my fabulous readers a shalach manot package. Then I thought about encouraging everyone to adopt a soldier and send a shalach manot to someone serving in the military.
And then I had a great idea — why do both and then some. In the spirit of the mitzvot of both giving gifts to the needy at Purim and also giving gifts to friends and acquaintances — I hereby dedicate the great Shalach Manot Swap of 5767.
Here’s how you can participate:
- To participate in the swap with other readers of this site — leave a comment on this page by Friday, February 23, 2007.
DON’T give any personal information in the body of the comment. Just make sure you use a valid email address in the email address field. If you have any food allergies, keep kosher (level of please), vegan, or things like that DO mention that in your comment. Also if you are able to send more than one package, please mention that as well.
On Sunday, February 25, 2007, I’ll send everyone their matches. The only requirement is that EVERYTHING in the package is homemade. It could be cookies or crafties — doesn’t matter — but you have to make it yourself.
OR
- Send Shalach Manot to a soldier serving overseas or recovering from injuries here in the states through AnySoldier.com. Another option is to get a jump on Pesach and send a Seder package to troops and their families.
I’m looking for any information about how to specifically send packages to Jewish soldiers in the US Military. There’s lots on how to send stuff to IDF soldiers, but I’d like to support my own troops who are seriously in harms way right now. I’ll post information on this as I find it.
I’m going to contact the Chaplain’s office at Walter Reed Medical Center and see if there’s options to deliver packages to Jewish soldiers recovering there — again — I’ll let you know what I find out.
Learn more about the tradition of Shalach Manot (Manos)
Technorati Tags: purim, shalach manot, shalach manos, mitzvot, soldiers
I’m kind of crushed. Every year I make homemade hammentashen for Purim, but I’m just too busy this year to do it. It’s actually become a tradition that my sister and I get together and make dozens of yummy poppy seed filled goodness. I guess I’ll have to make do with some store bought ones this year.
Of course if I’m too busy for baking, I’m also too busy for a proper Purim party. Again — this is very distressing. I throw a killer Purim-schpiel. It’s kind of amazing that I can throw a party where I read the bible to people and they have to act it out — and people are still talking about it a year or two later. People have actually asked me when Purim is, because they can’t wait for the party. People who have never been have asked how they can get an invite.
I think next year, I’m just going to have to clear my schedule better for Purim. Right now — I could use the emotional release that Purim provides.
Here’s a link to one of my favorite Purim Web moments of 2006.
Ask most Jews of almost any flavor what their favorite holiday is, and Purim will rank in the top 5! It’s fun. As a kid you get to dress up and yell, shout, and be rowdy in synogogue! What kid doesn’t like that.
There is a much darker side to Purim that we all seem to just ignore. Acknowledging it doesn’t have to take the fun out — but we should be honest about the whole story, not just the fun part.
Towards the end of the Book of Esther is the story of the massacre of Haman’s family and more than five-hundred others. What does this say about us? How on earth do we reconcile this with the message at Passover a month later? Why don’t we ever seem to remember this part of the story?
At Passover we are told NOT to revel in the destruction of our enemies, because they too are human beings and children of the Divine. Here at Purim, we seem to be rolling in blood without remorse. Is it a learning curve for us? At Purim we revel in the destruction of our enemies and then we are taught through our redemption from slavery that this is wrong?
Questions upon questions. I think what’s important is to ask the question. Don’t just read the text and say, “the end!” Read it. Talk about it. Interpret it. Learn. Grow. Change.
I am Becoming what I am Becoming. Ehyeh asher ehyeh. I will be what I will be. Eyeh asher eyeh.
Learn. Grow. Change. Become. Be.
Become what you will Become!
