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How to Celebrate Purim, the Feast of Esther
If those winter blues got you down, look no further than your local Jewish community for a festive welcome to springtime. Purim (pronounced poor´-um) is a day of costumes, revelry and noisemaking and is based on one of the most overlooked stories in the Old Testament. The Book of Esther involves a beautiful girl who
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hides her Jewish faith in order to become Queen of Persia. When the king's evil advisor, Haman, recommends that all Jews in the land be slain, Esther risks her own life by revealing her true identity and convincing the king to save her people. For such a selfless act, she is honored with the most joyous and raucous holiday on the Hebrew calendar. Some liken Purim to the Jewish Mardi Gras, except without so much exposed flesh. Many religious texts encourage Purim revelers to drink so much that they cannot distinguish between the hero and the villain when recounting the story of Esther. But go easy on the bottle, people, as contemporary Purim celebrations are all about the kids. Interestingly, the recent revelation of so-called "Crypto Jews" in northern New Mexico was given credence due to the fact that many New Mexicans of Spanish descent had incorporated a "Feast of Esther" into the regional Catholic traditions.
Do it yourself:
This year, Purim falls on March 24, exactly a week after St. Patrick's Day, so be sure to pace yourself. And just as the non-Irish can fully participate in St. Paddy's festivities, you need not be a "member of the tribe" to celebrate this fiesta. Sadly, Temple Beth Shalom's annual Purim carnival came early this year, so you really will have to "do it yourself." Think carnival atmosphere: noisemakers, decorations and festive costumes. You'll also need a copy of the megillah (a Hebrew word for the Book of Esther). During the reading of the megillah, whenever the evil Haman's name is mentioned, everyone boos, hisses and stomps their feet. The most delicious Purim tradition is that of eating hamantaschen cookies, which are triangular and reminiscent of Haman's hat. They're available at Bagelmania (420 Catron St., 982-8900) in both raspberry and apricot, and there's a sweet recipe at
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