Hungarian Jews Hold a Purim Feast that Resembles the American Thanksgiving Meal

Remember the jokes we make at Thanksgiving about why we eat turkey? The typical answer is because we are giving thanks to god, which in Hebrew is 'הודו לה and the word הודו also means turkey.

It seems that for Purim, Hungarian Jews have the same sense of humor. At their Seudat Purim -- the Purim Feast -- they too serve turkey for the main course.  Why? Because Ahasuerus ruled from הודו עד כוש -- which means from India to Ethiopia.

You've got it.  The Hebrew word for India is הודו. And yes, American Indians play a major role in the Thanksgiving holiday but I'm not going there. This is a different India, part of a vast kingdom. Do you know that Ahasuerus ruled over 127 provinces?! Who was King Ahasuerus? The Talmud and the Biblical commentator Rashi have different takes on this question.

Here's another question for you to explore. Feasting plays a major role in the Book of Esther.  How many feasts were held and how long was each one?

Can you think of your own twist for a Purim feast custom? While pondering the answer to this question have a look at these Purim Feast menus.

חג שמח


Turkey image credit

A Bukharan Purim Custom for the Wintry Weather

Like you, I'm hoping that the extreme weather in the United States will make a turn around, but just in case you experience another snow storm, think about adopting this Bukharan Purim custom

Bukhara is the perfect combination of exotica and history. Located on the ancient Silk Road, this Central Asian city and surrounding region was once home to a vibrant Jewish community.

In fact, this is not the first time I've taken you to Bukhara. Last year I introduced you to the Bukharan Jewish custom of a Passover Seder overture. Sure enough, now I've discovered that this colorful community had a creative Purim twist as well.

There is always snow on the ground in Bukhara when Purim rolls around. While very few Jews remain in Bukhara and its surrounding areas, when this vibrant community was at its peak, they made the most of the snow by sculpting snowHamans like the one in this picture.

I know you're sick of the snow, but just in case you get another dumping, now you can creatively put it to use.  I've found 10 snow sculpting tips you might want to follow. If you want to go all the way, think about this: carve Haman's name into his torso, light a candle or two right next to him, watch him melt away and presto! You have a Purim variation of the Wicked Witch of the West.





Snow-Haman Photo Credit

Algerian Jews Connect Purim with Hanukkah

It's always fascinating to find out how some Jewish communities around the world connect different holidays through customs. In the past I've written about Jews in Portugal giving Purim "gelt" to their children. Now I've discovered an additional Purim custom connecting this holiday with Hanukkah. Algerian Jews have a custom of children lighting candles on Purim. Unfortunately, I don't know how many but let's assume there's one candle for every major character in the Purim story.

You're probably thinking "Cute, but how can I connect this to classroom or home activities?" Here's the answer. I've googled and there are simple candle making instructions for kids. Create different sizes and colors for each character, light them and watch them burn. I'm placing my bets on a short, red colored candle for Haman with a caption "Burn Baby, Burn."
Sound right to you?






Photo credit