Purim, which we will celebrate at The J on Thursday, is a holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, a grand vizier who was planning to kill all the Jews in the Persian empire. But thanks to Esther — risking her life, no less! — it all turned out OK.
Catch up on the full story at My Jewish Learning or Chabad.org (or your favorite source for Jewish culture).
For many people today, one of the best things about Purim is getting to dress up. Rabbi Tzvi Elimelech Shapiro (1783–1841) put forward the idea that Jews pretend to be someone else on Purim because the story includes both Jews’ and God’s actions being masked by other intentions. Then of course there’s also that whole thing about Esther successfully hiding her identity from Haman for so long.
So in case you needed an excuse… just know that celebrating Purim equals wearing a costume. We’ll see you in yours on Thursday.
Treats
But if you’re not much of a dresser-upper (we understand), we have a Plan B that’s sure to draw you to The J on March 17: Hamantaschen!
We can’t think of a better way to celebrate an ancient victory than by eating these deliciously filled triangular treats. We’ll be handing out a variety of the cookies in the lobby on Thursday (while supplies last). But if you’re too slow and miss out, never fear because they’re easy to make at home. In fact, you can try one of our favorite hamantaschen recipes.