Thank you for participating in the Purim Celebration and Salsa Run!
Just like many Jewish holidays, Purim is about community and involvement in your community.
Purim celebrates the triumph of the Jews survival in the face of danger. King Ahashuares is the king of Persia who banishes his wife from the kingdom and must find a new bride. He decides to hold a beauty pageant and picks a young Jewish woman named Esther. He is unaware that Esther is Jewish. Esther was raised by her uncle, Mordechai, who is a staple of the Persian Jewish community. As in all good tales, there is an evil character, Haman. Haman has decided that all the Jews must die. He manages to get the permission of the king and casts dice (lots, Purim in Hebrew) to choose the date that the Jews are to die. Mordechai hears this news and passes the message along to Esther, telling her that she is the last and only hope of the Jewish people. Esther goes to the king and manages to save the Jewish people.
One big theme of this holiday is the theme of community. In fact, in the story of Purim, Esther calls upon the support of the community to help her prepare to speak to the king about the situation.
Two events, happening on the same Sunday, were all about our involvement community-wide here at the Y!
Many of you have started your day with us at Salsa Run and have continued the day at the Y with the Purim Carnival. The whole community enjoyed colorful esciting rides provided by the NYEvents; numerous art activities led by our talented nursery school teachers; dancing , reading ,eating together and even bidding on some great items together. Congratulations to the lucky winners of the silent auction!
The funds we raised will be used to provide enriching and supplemental materials for our classrooms and youth programs.
Hope you enjoyed your day with the Y!
By Rachel Rothstein
