By Chéye Roberson
Sentinel Correspondent
It’s not every day that Temple Sholom is filled with little princesses and pirates running around with prizes and cotton candy, but last Sunday was no ordinary day at the temple. It was the Purim Carnival, which kicked off a week of events at the temple to commemorate a cherished tale in the Book of Esther.
In the story, Esther and her brother Mordecai defeat a plot by Haman, an advisor to the king of Persia, to destroy the Jewish people of the land. Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of Adar in the Jewish calendar. Although the 14th day of Adar was last Wednesday, the carnival was celebrated on Sunday, when children and families would be most available to enjoy the festivities.
“The month of Adar in the Jewish calendar is a month of joy,” said Yonni Nadiv, the youth director at Temple Sholom. “We hold a carnival for the pure basis of having fun.”
The carnival had a Dr. Seuss theme, but the choice was made in the spirit of happiness rather than for any cultural significance.
“There is no relationship between Dr. Seuss and Purim—it’s just fun for the kids,” said Nadiv.
There were other stations for cotton candy, face painting, ring toss, and other games. In the center of the dining hall sat a large bouncy house, and the tables were decorated with colorful balloons.
On Wednesday, the night that directly coincides with the biblical events, the temple held a Hamantaschen Bake and Dinner, where children made hamantachen pastries with adult supervision.
It is tradition during Purim to make Hamantaschen, a pocket pastry shaped like a triangle in reference to the three cornered hat that Haman was said to wear. Nadiv said that having kids participate in these traditions “teaches them that Judaism is a tradition of joy.”
In Hebrew, the Book of Esther is called the Megillah, or the scroll, which is written on parchment enclosed in a gold-colored container on display in the temple. A reading of the scroll was held on Wednesday.
The story is read using a special melody called Trope, which refers to the musical notes that direct how the text is sung.
When Haman’s name is mentioned during the reading it is tradition for the children to boo, stomp their feet, and use noisemakers called “graggers” to drown out his name, making it an interactive experience.
According to Nadiv, the holiday takes on a joyous mood, because in the story the Jewish people overcame a plot to destroy their people. He said the holiday is geared toward kids, but adults have a lot of fun as well.
Volunteers from the B’nai B’rith Youth Organization chapter of Jewish Family Services of Greenwich were at the carnival to help serve food and manage the game stations.
Ness Low, a member of the youth organization from Rye Brook, N.Y., said he appreciates being a member and meeting people he would not normally meet.
“I really enjoy it. It’s one of my favorite things. I enjoy spending time with kids from Greenwich and Connecticut areas,” said Low.
Low manned the old-fashioned style popcorn machine next to a table that held containers full of prizes. Children gathered around the prize table to collect their winnings from the games.
“It’s an awesome day—you get to dress in costumes and celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim. It’s like a party in the temple,” said Low. “You can see what they’re wearing and the vibe throughout the temple.”
