|
Beacon Hebrew Alliance to Offer Purim Carnival and Megillah Reading
The Beacon Hebrew Alliance will be celebrating the festival of Purim on Saturday, March 3 and Sunday, March 4.
The annual Purim carnival, which features games, prizes, great food and raffles, will take place on Sunday, March 4, from 11am to 1pm.
The Megillah (the Book of Esther) will be read on Saturday, March 3, beginning at 6:30pm, led by Rabbi Susan Mitrani Knapp. Everyone is invited to dress up and enjoy the foot-stamping fun.
The Book of Esther graphically relates the story of Jewish deliverance from Haman, who sought to destroy the Jews of Persia. The capricious King Ahasuerus agreed to Haman's request and allowed him to cast lots (pur) in order to determine the day of the mass purge. Ultimately Ahasuerus reversed his decision, thanks to the bravery of Mordecai and Queen Esther; on the day that Mordecai was to have been hanged, Haman and his sons were executed instead.
Each year the Megillah is read in an atmosphere of uninhibited gaiety. With each mention of Haman's name, children are permitted to interrupt the reading with noisemakers or groggers. In America, carnivals and masquerades centering around the Purim theme lend added glamour to the holiday.
The Beacon Hebrew Alliance is located at 331 Verplanck Avenue (corner of Fishkill Avenue) in Beacon (www.beaconhebrewalliance.org)
| 
