Purim Same’ach! Happy Purim!

Purim Same’ach! Happy Purim! | Anne’s Opinions, 5th March 2015

(For background to the story of Purim, read this link from Chabad. There is much more about the festival here.   The parallels between the Purim story and today’s events are startling and chilling. [I mentioned some parallels here]. About 2,500 years ago a wicked Persian vizier persuaded his King with lies and bribes, that it was in Persia’s interest to exterminate all the Jews. Today the situation is slightly different in that we have a Persian leader who wishes to exterminate all the Jews, starting with Israel, but he is being courted by the American President. Let us hope today’s events have the same happy ending as the Purim story).

The dogs of war? Or running dogs of capitalism? (Purim in Israel)

Enough of all the gloom and doom and politics and propaganda. Purim is here and it’s time to celebrate!

The festival began at sundown this evening when we went to shul and heard the *Megillah being read, with the ra’ashanim (greggers) of various sorts – from toy gun caps to bells, whistles, rattling keys, even phone ringtones! – drowning out evil Haman’s name every time it was mentioned; and there was lots of laughter at some of the funny costumes and hats that people turned up in (including yours truly in a very unbecoming purple wig. ).

Our Mishloach Manot parcels are all wrapped and ready to be delivered tomorrow, and then we’ll be off to our Seudah at our our son’s house together with several generations of the wider family. Quiet it won’t be… 📢 🙉 ♫ ♪

(* For a translation of the Hebrew words used here, please consult my Glossary page in the menu above.)

The favourite custom of Purim for most people is dressing up – symbolizing the “masking” of events in the Purim story, and evil turning into good. Via the “Only in Israel” facebook page, here are some hilarious and touching photos of Israelis celebrating Purim:

The El Al ground crew at Ben Gurion, dressed up for Purim

Here is a picture of a handicapped boy dressed up as Superman. The sky’s the limit when you have the will:

And the grand finale…. drumroll…

(We can always hope that our enemies will die laughing…) 😀

For some more Purim entertainment here are a couple of great videos to entertain you throughout the day.

Via a Facebook friend, from Jewbellish, here is my one of my favourite songs, Pharrell Williams’ “Happy” set to … Hassidic dancing! You’ve got to admit, the results are hilarious! 😀

Another great video, (h/t Hadassah), is of a flash-mob in down-town Jerusalem, performed by both students and teachers of Mekor Chaim Yeshiva. This is the Yeshiva where two of the three murdered teenagers, Naftali Frenkel and Gil-Ad Shayer Hy’d, studied. Just thinking about what their friends and teachers have all been through over the last few months is chilling, and yet they have come through strong enough to spend a day of fun and volunteering in Jerusalem – and then to dance their hearts out.

The lyrics of the song, sung by Yakov Shweki, are taken partly from Kohelet (Ecclesiastes) and are so appropriate for our situation:

לכל זמן ועת. עת לאהוב עת לשנוא עת מלחמה ועת שלום, אבל הלילה הזה כולנו בשמחה כולנו הלילה עת לרקוד

“For every time and hour there is a time to love, a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace, but tonight we are all happy, tonight we are all going to dance”.

May we all be able to keep dancing and celebrate!

Purim Same’ach everyone! Happy Purim!

!פורים שמח

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Tags: Iran, Judaism, Persia, Purim

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