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Royal Fashion: Esther Edition
Clothes may not make the woman, but there is no doubt that there are times when the clothes we wear make a difference. Clothes can help define us; think of a doctor donning their long white coat for the first time. Clothes can also help others identify us; a firefighter or an EMT arriving in uniform tells me that help has arrived. Sometimes, the clothes we wear help us imagine a different future for ourselves. Organizations that provide people with affordable business attire for interviews, such as Bottomless Closet or Dress for Success, have long understood that first impressions matter.
For Small Congregations: Adult Learning and Purim Celebration
Is your small congregation looking for a way to engage adults in a meaningful observance of Purim? The URJ is partnering with Reform rabbis from small congregations to offer a new opportunity for adult congregants to study the Book of Esther.
How did the custom of the Purim carnival develop?
Though Purim is a minor holiday on the Jewish calendar, it is widely observed and a favorite of children.
What are Purim mishloach manot?
Mishloach manot are gifts of food that friends (and prospective new friends!) exchange on Purim. We are instructed in the scroll of Esther (9:19) to send gifts to one another.
Is Purim akin to a Jewish Halloween?
Though both Purim and Halloween share the custom of dressing in costume, that is about all the two holidays have in common.
Beyond the revelry, is there a more serious side to observing Purim?
As joyous as the holiday is, it is also a time for serious reflection on the duties of a Jew toward their community, particularly in a post-Holocaust world.
What greetings are appropriate on Purim?
On Purim, we can greet one another with “Chag Purim sameach!” (Happy Purim!)
Why do Jewish holidays always begin at night?
On the Jewish calendar, holidays begin in the evening, at sundown, and they continue through the next day.
Hamantaschen de Panama
In Mexico and parts of Central America you'll find a large Sephardic population from Syria and Lebanon, as well as a substantial Ashkenazi community.