Community Corner
Viewfinder: Festival of Purim
Temple Beth David in Snellville celebrated the Festival of Purim on Sunday, March 20, with a community carnival.
Purim is a holiday commemorating the events of the Book of Ester in the Bible. The Jews of Persia were threatened by a massacre lead by Haman. Esther is the heroine of the story. Because of her actions the Jews are saved and the enemies are destroyed.
Purim is celebrated by reading the text of Esther followed by a feast. The children dress up as characters from the story, with girls dressing as Queen Esther or Queen Vashti and the boys dressing as King Ahasuerus or Mordechai. There is a celebration, feasts, and contributions to the poor. In addition, there is an emphasis on the the reversal of fortunes of the Jews of Persia.