Shushan Purim
At the very end of the Purim story when the Jews have managed to reverse this time of “grief and mourning to one of festive joy,” Esther gets a new house, Mordechai gets a promotion and it’s clearly time for another party. But when exactly should the party start? Remember that in the story […]
M’gee-LAH is Hebrew for Scroll. In Jewish texts, there are 5 Megillot (plural) in the K’tuvim.
1. Song of Songs
2. Ruth
3. Lamentations
4. Ecclesiastes
5. Esther
Generally if there isn’t a name associated with the Megillah, it’s referring to Megillat Esther, the Scroll of Esther which we read on Purim.
Purimspiel (Pu-rim SHPEEL) is Yiddish for a Purim Play based on Megillat Esther. Usually the spiel is done in a comic style, as a satire, with music, silly characters, and even dance. It originated in Eastern Europe in the 18th century.
Check out Shira’s version, That’s How We Roll OR A Dr. Seuss […]
RA-ASH-a-nim are noisemakers in Hebrew, or GROG-ger in Yiddish (from the Polish word “to rattle.”)
Learn how to make a grogger, kazoo, and tambourine HERE!
A-DAR is the 12th month of the Hebrew calendar. It’s a winter month with 29 days, usually coinciding with February/March. When there’s a leap year, an additional Adar is added to the calendar, called Adar Aleph or Rishon. When this happens (7 times every 19 years) the Purim holiday is celebrated in […]
The Origins of Tu B’Shvat
The New Year of the trees is not a biblical holiday although there are a number of verses throughout the Tanach that are linked to Tu B’Shvat and that we use to teach about the Jewish perspective on the environment. Historians tell us that the holiday originated as a […]
Make your wishes and keep an eye out for 2 trees embracing on this special holiday!
To till and to tend: one of the first mitzvot given to us by God in the Torah. Truly, we are the caretakers of this earth and of all the living things. (Including each other! but that’s for another day…) Bal Tashchit is the mitzvah that says, Do Not Destroy/Waste. It […]
Color in the trees. Now, go find a tree and give it a hug!
Enjoy your Tu b’Shvat Seder!
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