Purim? I Hardly Knew ‘Em

Purim is one of the happiest days of the Jewish year, falling during the Hebrew month of Adar. It commemorates the Jewish people narrowly escaping extermination, as told in the biblical book of Esther. Over the centuries, it has become associated with masks, satirical skits (called spiels), and hamantaschen. This year, Purim begins at sundown on February 25th and ends at sundown on February 26th (though for historically walled cities, like Jerusalem, it’s celebrated the very next day, February 26th-27th! We usually call that celebration “Shushan Purim,” after the walled city of Shushan).

Why Celebrate Purim?

Though a prominent theme of the Purim narrative is the sudden reversal of fortune (political hotshot Haman falls from grace and a humble orphan Esther rises to the heroic Queendom), the ultimate core of the holiday lies in cultivating joy (simcha). The Jewish response to life’s capriciousness is a radical carpe diem, a carnivalesque masquerade to laugh in the face of challenge, a raucous pressure relief valve when life gets a little too stressful (and if ever there were a year where that was the case…). So we dress in costume, make jokes out of everything, and intoxicate ourselves (sometimes through drink, but always through the spirit of the holiday).

How Do You Celebrate Purim?

There are numerous ways to celebrate Purim. Some people dress up in costumes to honor the upside-down nature of the day, allowing the freedom of the mask to bring out a different side of themselves than they express during the rest of the year. Communities often put on carnivals, parties, and Purim spiels (skits) to make fun of themselves. Though COVID-19 makes many of these traditions difficult to observe, there are still many ways to feel the joy of Purim on your own or online.

One way of spreading joy lies in the four spiritual practices/mitzvot associated with the day:

  1. Hearing the Purim story read from the Megillah
  2. Having a festive meal
  3. Sending gifts to friends (Mishloach Manot)
  4. Giving gifts to the poor (Matanot L’evyonim)

Shaking the grogger during a story of survival brings us personal joy. Sharing a meal with family or housemates spreads that joy a little further. Sending gifts to friends across town or in another city spreads it even further. And giving gifts to the poor might allow that joy to spread even beyond your social network. 

How will you spread joy this Purim? Check out our suggestions below for some ideas, modeled around the celebratory practices listed above.

Program Ideas

  • Reimagine the Purim Story. A quick web search will reveal countless Purim spiels reimagining the story of Esther in every way possible, from Wonder Woman to Hamilton to reality television. If none of the scripts you discover are right for your community, here’s a few suggestions on how to tap into your own sense of irreverence to fit the holiday:
    • Host a virtual “talent show” to see which of your community members can come up with the most creative retelling of the Purim story, whether by rap, haiku, or TikTok.
    • If you have an improv theater in your city, reach out to see if any of their teachers can teach improv games online. Then use your new skills to tell the story one word at a time or in genre styles that change every thirty seconds. 
    • Choose a handful of verses or even a whole chapter of Esther, remove a bunch of the keywords, and have people fill in the blanks Mad Libs-style. 
  • Create Your Own Symbolic Masks. People wear masks at Purim to both conceal who they are AND to reveal parts of themselves they normally keep hidden. Host an online conversation about the masks we wear in daily life (and whether or not it’s by choice) or use this fantastic text study as a guide for your conversation. Then bust out the craft supplies to create your own double-sided masks that reveal how you view yourself and how the world views you!

  • Host a Latke-Hamantaschen Debate. Take inspiration from the University of Chicago’s annual Latke-Hamantaschen Debate. Invite two local educators to go head-to-head on an issue that really matters—deciding what’s the best holiday dessert, latkes, or hamantaschen! Then let your community vote on the winner (and if you combine this activity with some actual hamantaschen baking, then everybody wins).
  • Organize a Community Gift Exchange. Invite members of your community to participate in a Mishloach Manot gift exchange! Use a website like drawnames.com (or just have a member of the house coordinate) to match everyone up as gift-giver and receiver. Then host a virtual unboxing party so you can all see the joy of Purim spread!
  • Open a Tzedek Box. Purim offers a wonderful opportunity to turn your attention to people in need in your local city, but why stop with one day? Tzedek Box offers digital resources that let you and your community collect, reflect, and connect acts of service and justice (like building a time-capsule full of social justice activities). Download the app or make a physical box and share access with members of your community so that anytime someone wants to strive for justice, they can make a record of it and invite other members of your community to join! And for your first activity? Contact a local homeless shelter or community center to ask them what personal hygiene products or PPE they most need, then organize your community to create bags to donate!
  • Host A Movie Night For Your Consideration. The megillah is full of all the twists, turns, and drama of a Hollywood movie, so why not host a movie night in celebration? The mockumentary For Your Consideration (directed by Christopher Guest) offers a behind-the-scenes look at the fictional film, “Home for Purim.” Host a watch party for your community followed by a discussion on portrayals of Judaism in film and television – when do they make us feel seen, and when do they make us cringe?
  • #ShareHerStory. Hear the stories of Indigenous, Mizrahi, Sephardi, and Jewish women of color, whose work strengthens and broadens the Jewish community. Click here for more info about these modern day heroines.
  • Cook to Care. Hop on Zoom and learn to cook a festive meal with your community members. Remember food is a storyteller, so pick a recipe that can share a story. Double the recipe and donate the second batch to a local shelter or community center.
  • Send Gratitude. Purim is a time to pause and reflect on the people in our community who support us. Create a gift of gratitude to share with those key people.
  • Compile Toiletries Gift Bags. Organize community members to make gift bags for your most vulnerable neighbors.