|
|
||||
|
Purim History & Traditions! |
||||
| The story of Esther takes place in Shushan, the ancient capital city of Persia. It is here we are first introduced to King Ahasuerus, who ruled Persia 486-465 BC. In the opening chapter of the Book of Esther, King Ahasuerus is displeased with his queen, Vashti, because she won’t display her beauty before the king’s drunken friends. To save face, Ahasuerus decides to replace her. That’s where a Jewish girl named Esther comes in. |
|
|||
| With a little help from her uncle Mordechai, Esther gets the job, and more than she may have bargained for. Mordecai works as a palace guard, where he foils a plan to assassinate the king. In the meantime the king unwittingly puts a vicious anti-Semite named Haman (Boo!) into position as his Prime Minister. Haman thinks there are way too many Jews and decides to rid the empire of them, especially Mordecai, who won’t bow down to him! Mordecai tells Esther to intercede with the king on behalf of her people. Esther, goes to the king and exposes Haman’s plot. Haman is hanged on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai, the Jews are saved (again), and Purim is established to remember this victorious event. Traditionally, every year on the 14th day of Adar (usually in March) Jewish people around the world celebrate Purim. Traditions include the public reading or chanting of the entire book of Esther; Purim Shpiel, or play, which tells the Esther story. Though the story itself is dramatic, the plays are usually quite comical. The audience participates by booing at every mention of Haman the villain, and cheering our hero and heroine, Mordecai and Esther. |
||||
| Another tradition is baking and eating fruit filled, triangle shaped pastry called Hamantashen. Hamantashen are shaped like Haman’s hat, (but are also called Haman’s ears [Hebrew], and Haman’s pockets [German/Yiddish], and are usually filled with poppiseed, prune, or apricot filling. Anyway, they’re quite tasty and not too fattening! |
|
|||
| To make your own, you can find an abundance of recipes on the internet or local bookstore, or do what many of us do, simply head over to your local kosher deli! Happy Purim! Y |
||||
|
|
||||
