Clifford attends Purim in 2009. (Photo by Laura Weisskopf Bleill)
by Laura Weisskopf Bleill
“Is it Saturday night yet?”
The question has been a daily refrain this week from my almost 4-year-old. She has the patience of a flea, and like many children, her anticipation grows as any major (or minor) holiday, birthday or event nears.
Saturday night marks the start of the celebration of Purim, a not-as-well-known yet incredibly fun Jewish holiday. It has all the elements of a fun time for an almost 4-year-old, including dressing up and getting gifts.
MyJewishLearning.com gives this great synopsis: “Purim, or the Feast of Lots, is a joyous holiday that recounts the saving of the Jews from a threatened massacre during the Persian period (539-330 BCE). The story of Purim is recounted in the Book of Esther, whose eponymous heroine plays the leading role in saving her people. The holiday is traditionally celebrated with wild abandon and with the giving of gifts to friends and the poor.”
Yes, this is another one of those they-tried-to-kill-us-we-survived-let’s-eat holidays, but with a twist. We get to dress up in costume — and beyond eating, we even get to DRINK. And I’m talking adult beverages here, people.
Purim is often described as the Jewish Halloween (cringe) because one of its most pervasive traditions is the one where children and adults dress up. The most popular costumes are usually characters from the Purim story, including the villain, Haman; the king, and of course, Queen Esther herself.
Those of you who know me know that I have a strong aversion to anything princess – and not just Disney. I will not buy anything that says princess on it, nor will it adorn my girls. (The irony here – my youngest’s name means “princess” in Hebrew). I think part of my adamant objection to it comes from a very derogatory term that was often used to describe Jewish women in the 80s and 90s (which I will not repeat here).
But if ever there was a time when I would want my girls to dress up like queens or princesses, it would be for Purim – because Esther was a true heroine who was brave, tough, and strong enough to speak out and use her power to save her people. And perhaps there is another reason - a 2008 US News article paraphrases a religion professor from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln saying that she sees the Esther story as “teaching readers how to live as a minority within a gentile society, by cooperating with others but also by protecting and lifting up the Jews.”
Just when I actually *want* my almost 4-year-old to dress up as a queen, she’s wholeheartedly unimpressed. And she has another idea.
For the second straight year, she will be Clifford at Purim.
At least I still have the baby.
Laura Weisskopf Bleill, a co-founder of chambanamoms.com, is hoping there won’t be any of the goldfish prizes at the Purim carnival akin to what they had when she was a little girl. She writes “Being a Jew in C-U,” a column about being a Jewish suburban girl in a cornfield, on Thursdays. You can reach her at laura@chambanamoms.com.
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I hope everyone has a blast – and good luck avoiding the princess universe. Ugh.
BTW, Esther was high on my list of names when I was pregnant with Josie. The story of Queen Esther was one of my favorites as a child.
I’ve always loved Purim because kids get to see that being Jewish is a life-long enjoyment and not just parents sending them to religious school. Thank you for including the modernism of Esther and teaching us to be true to ourselves even when the world we live in isn’t always accepting of our difference.
This is very informative…Previously, everything I knew about Purim I learned from For Your Consideration.
I am in charge of the prizes at the Purim Carnival on Sunday, and I PROMISE, no goldfish!
Thanks for a good Purim summary. One of students who is Jewish was telling me a story during writing time and Haman came to the door of the three little pigs at Purim.
So which of the Purim events in town do you recommend this weekend? And I’m SO with you on the “very derogatory term that was often used to describe Jewish women in the 80s and 90s” — certainly one of my big objections to the princess phenomenon which I can’t relate to (but my daughter is crazy about).
I love reading your blogs/posts. Any holiday that is celebrated with “wild abandon” has got to be fun–no wonder Clifford wants to attend!
@Liza — Esther is my dog’s middle name because we got her on Purim
@Sara — Great point!
@Rachael — I have never seen that movie! LOL!
@Evelyn — We’re going to the events at Sinai Temple. The Chabad event doesn’t work for our kids’ nap schedules.
@Jenna — Ha. Maybe Haman was the big bad wolf?
@Elizabeth — Such a relief!
@Ann — thanks! You should celebrate too