What is Purim? How NJ Jews will celebrate festive holiday in time of war
Purim is among the most joyous and colorful days of the Jewish calendar. The holiday begins this year on sundown on Saturday and ends at nightfall on Sunday.
This year, celebrations are likely to be muted due to the over 1,200 people killed in Israel and 240 hostages taken in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Although 100 hostages have been released, others remain in captivity or were killed. The Hamas attack on Israel led to a war in Gaza that has resulted in casualties on both sides and has sparked reports of increased antisemitism in the U.S. and abroad.
Amid that anxious reality, the Purim story seems as relevant as ever. The one-day festival commemorates the Jews' salvation from near destruction in ancient Persia about 2,300 years ago.
What is Purim?
Here's what you need to know ahead of your Purim seudah, the traditional meal of merry-making to honor the holiday:
The Purim story in a nutshell: A Jewish woman named Esther became Queen of Persia and was able to save the Jewish people after Haman, the king's adviser, plotted to annihilate them.
What Purim means: The word means "lots" in Hebrew, and the term refers to a lottery that Haman, adviser to the Persian King Achashverosh, used to determine the date he would kill the Jews. Today, the holiday is also known as the Festival of Lots or Feast of Lots.
Proper holiday greeting: "Happy Purim!' or "Chag Purim Sameach," which means "happy holiday" in Hebrew.
How is Purim typically celebrated?
Exchanging Purim baskets (mishloach manot) which are filled with food and drinks
Donating food or money to the needy.
Eating sweets and a celebratory meal. Some Jews will also bake and eat hamantaschen, a cookie named after the villain Haman, among other Purim celebrations.
A public reading of the Megillah, or Scroll of Esther, which recounts the story of Purim.
Reciting special prayers.
Many adults and children dress in masks and costumes, and synagogues and Jewish schools often hold Purim carnivals and parties.
What is the message of the holiday? "Purim is a holiday that celebrates resilience and hope in the face of persecution and even the desire to annihilate the Jewish people," said Rabbi Joshua Waxman of Temple Beth Rishon in Wyckoff. "In the context of this year in particular, Purim serves as an important reminder that Jews have often been treated with mistrust and even hostility, and that our strength lies in standing together as a community even as we make common cause with those who stand against hate and bigotry."
Purim events around New Jersey
Many groups have already held events leading up to the holiday, but more are planned this weekend:
Friends of Lubavitch of Bergen County will hold a free Purim Carnival and Seudah on Sunday in South Hackensack. The festivities will start with a Megillah reading at 2 p.m. and go until 4:30 p.m.
Chabad Center of Northwestern New Jersey in Rockaway will host several Purim Night Megillah readings on Saturday evening ("You give us 22 minutes, we will give you the whole Megillah!") and a Purim with Israel party on Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
Temple Beth Shalom of Cherry Hill will hold an "Out of This World" Purim party at 8 p.m. on Saturday and a Purim Extravaganzza on Sunday at 9:30 a.m., including readings and games. Registration is required for both events through the synagogue at 1901 Kresson Road.
The Union County Torah Center in Westfield will hold a family celebration, including a masquerade contest and "multimedia Megillah reading" at 10 a.m. Sunday and a dinner at 6 p.m. Attendance at the family celebration costs $5 (thanks to an anonymous donation, the center said) and the dinner costs $30.
Deena Yellin covers religion for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to her work covering how the spiritual intersects with our daily lives, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: yellin@northjersey.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: When is Purim 2024? NJ Jews mark Feast of Lots amid violence in Israel
