Purim: A Jewish Festival of Celebration and Deliverance

Purim is a traditional Jewish festival established to commemorate the salvation of the Jewish people from extermination during the reign of King Ahasuerus. It was instituted by Mordecai and Esther. This festival is celebrated every year according to the Jewish calendar on the fourteenth day of Adar, which typically falls in February or March.

ORIGIN AND MEANING:

The festival’s name, Purim, comes from the Persian word for “lots”, referring to how Haman cast lots to determine the date for the Jews’ extermination. This act was meant to seal the fate of the Jewish people, but instead, they were delivered. The significance of Purim is highlighted in Esther 9:22: “as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. Mordecai wrote to the Jews to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.” This verse emphasizes the reversal of fortune for the Jewish people, transforming a dire situation into a joyful celebration. It reflects the themes of God’s intervention and the importance of communal support and generosity.

• Making a type of pastry called Hamantaschen. The ingredients include flour, baking powder, eggs, almond milk, vanilla, butter, sugar, salt, and lemon or lime.

• Making hamantaschen, a traditional pastry with a triangular shape, symbolizing Haman’s hat. The pastry is typically filled with poppy seeds, fruit preserves, or chocolate. Its hidden filling are said to represent the hidden presence of God throughout the book of Esther, as God’s name is never directly mentioned. In spite of this, however, God’s guiding influence is clear.