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Purim 2016 Reflections #itWASthewholemegillah

If you had to go on a date with a synagogue, what would be the best time to go on a first date? The High Holidays? They tend to be a little formal. Shabbat? Yes, but depending on the week you can experience very different things (or if it is this upcoming Shabbat you can experience it all). And then there is Purim.

IMG_7069On Purim you see every generation – from the little girl dressed as Esther to the older gentleman with a silly hat. At BZBI this year, you witnessed our community performing Tikkun Olam by donating boxes of grain and you saw one another performing Gemilut Hasadim by exchanging shalach manot.

We kept some old traditions alive – like our Purim Carnival. And we tried some new ones – like our adult Purim party and our family seudah. Thank you for being flexible, for trying something new with us, and most of all, welcoming the new faces that “dated” our community for the first time.

Enough from me, below are reflections from our BZBI team.

-Terri


IMG_7019“When Andrea Rosen was teaching in Neziner she approached me about working together to encourage the kids to read Megillah Esther. It was a great success and wonderful experience for the kids. When Andrea left to live in Israel to become a DJ star, BZBI member & Hebrew school mum, Lisa Myers, took over for a while. Then last year’s 4th grade teacher, Tamar Godel, approached me with the same excitement Andrea did years earlier to take on and revive this wonderful endeavor. When she left to work in Korea and travel the world this past summer, I wasn’t sure what would happen in 2016. Then along came Segev Yarden who picked up the reins! In addition, Melissa Raub took on a similar endeavour with me as an enrichment project she did with Jacob and Rebecca Bushee. The sibs shared reading all of the 7th chapter, but what you may not know is each of them learned to read the entire chapter! Now they each have “a chapter for life” they can read during future Purims at BZBI or wherever else their lives take them.

Another incredibly adorable moment highlight was during the seudah . A little red riding hood was delighted I was Clara and she grabbed my hand to search out the the nutcracker she saw earlier “who had come to life!”

– Cantor Sharon


7076 pixelated“My favorite part of being a DJ is getting to take the people at a party on a musical journey, and I love mixing at a Purim party most of all because it means setting up one surprising, out-of-left-field audio collision after another. Because the Megillah emphasizes reversals of fortune, Purim is the ultimate time to – in the immortal words of Missy Elliot  –  “put my thing down, flip it, and reverse it,”  and I was stoked to make the most of the opportunity.”

– Rabbi Abe


Cindy

“I was inspired by the ruach in the Kahaner during the Neziner/Family Purim celebration.  The teamwork of Neziner teachers and the hard work of the students from learning their Megillah parts to painting the sets for the shpiel, there was a feeling of “we’re in this together!”

– Cindy

 


IMG_7030“It was fun to have the clergy dressing up in themed costumes once again. This year Cantor Grainer, Rabbi Freidman and I dressed up as characters from The Nutcracker. I didn’t quite realize how striking my toy soldier costume was.  My favorite part of Purim was seeing the look of wonder and amazement on the faces of young children as they arrived on Thursday afternoon, took in the sight of my costume and recognized that it was Rabbi Yosef in there!”

– Rabbi Yosef


“The engagement of the children is a joy and all those little Esthers and Mordecais give our sacred house a sense of liveliness and continuity. The older kids reading the megillah, and the vibrancy that fills our space when we carry on a tradition are what it’s all about for me – creating a space for people to experience their Jewishness.”

– Donna

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Fiest Famliy“It was wonderful to see so many young children dressed up with their families at the start of the Purim carnival gathered in the synagogue listening to the Purim story.  Everyone was excited to be there and celebrate the holiday of Purim.  All the children and parents joined in the singing, dancing and booing of Hamon.  My bucket was full seeing all the hard work of my preschool parents, staff, Tracy and community come together as one. ” 

– Brooke

For me, the Purim Carnival epitomizes the true sense of what a community gathering is and does, and this year did not disappoint. Watching the different generations of our families, L’ Dor V’ Dor,  big kids , little kids, embrace the joy that is Purim, put a huge smile on my face. I enjoyed working with the PTA to develop and implement, and then watch the Purim Carnival “come to life” with our BZBI families.It is this synagogue event that gives me the opportunity to spend time with the children and their families together, as well as get silly with my co-workers.”

– Tracy

 

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