As it is for Jews worldwide, Purim at Machar is about celebrating the story of a Jewish triumph over persecution in ancient Medea and Persia. There’s no historical evidence for the events behind the holiday other than the Book of Esther in the Bible, and the Book of Esther itself never once mentions a god of any culture, Jewish, Persian, or otherwise. All the actors are humans, and the victory is a human one, too.
Purim has come to be celebrated as a day full of costumes, satire, parody, carnival, and celebration – and hamantaschen! – and that’s no different at Machar!
Pretty much the way you’d expect: with a fun time for kids and adults! Parts of the Megillah, the scroll of Esther, are read, mostly in English, but with some Hebrew so people can hear what it sounds like. We cheer for Mordecai and Esther and boo when Haman’s name is uttered.
Purim, like other early spring holidays (for example, Mardi Gras) helps shake off some of the doldrums of winter. So we also have a Purim carnival each year with games and prizes – just as you’d expect at Purim! Hamantaschen and other treats are available. Adults and children perform Purim spiels – skits and plays about the holiday that may retell the story of the Megillah, or might recast modern figures as characters in the traditional story of Purim. We have masks, costumes, and other trappings of the holiday. And we focus on some of the more serious themes – giving to charity, giving gifts of food to others, and moral lessons about speaking out and standing up with courage in the face of danger.
We’re also honest about the Megillah: women are important to the story, but seem to be told what to do and punished when they don’t comply with men’s instructions. Thousands of people are killed, and we ask whether that is the right outcome, and whether some of the deaths are especially cruel. We make sure we have fun, but we also want to ensure that we’re honest about some of the darker sides of the holiday so that we’re aware of what we can learn and do better in the future.
Purim has universal themes, both joyous and more serious, and we share our celebration of them as a community!