A Carnival with a Jewish Flavor for Everybody

Source: Your Houston News

 

Jews have their own Halloween? Who  Knew? Purim is the Jewish celebration which some compare to Halloween. Well, the comparison is not quite correct: Indeed, people – children as well as adults – put on costumes, but that’s where the similarity ends.

Purim is the celebration of the deliverance of the Jews from the evil Haman, through the courage of their leader, Queen Esther and her cousin, Mordechai. Though a relatively minor Jewish holiday, Purim is one of the most joyous holidays. It is celebrated with sending special pastries called Hamentashen (Ozney Haman in Hebrew) to friends, putting on costumes (especially those of the story characters) and reading the Megilah – the story of the Book of Esther. During the reading, every time Haman’s name is mentioned, everybody drowns it out with boisterous noise making and booing.

 

The festival takes place each year on the 14th day of Adar (the 6th month of the current Jewish calendar).

 

Congregation Shaar Hashalom together with Temple Beth Tikvah in Clear Lake will celebrate Purim with their annual Carnival on Sunday, March 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The festival will take place at Shaar Hashalom.

 

Congregation Shaar Hashalom, a conservative synagogue and member of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, is located at 16020 El Camino Real (midway between Bay Area Blvd. and El Dorado). Temple Beth Tikvah is the reform synagogue in Clear Lake. The carnival is a fund-raising event. The entire community is invited to join in the fun, food, and merriment.

 

Ticket information can be obtained by calling the synagogue office at 281-488-5861, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., Monday – Friday; or by email at csh@shaarhashalom.org.