I dedicate many entries to showing my American friends and family snapshots of Catalan culture. I don’t want my Catalan friends and family to feel short-changed, so here is a brief look at Purim, a Jewish holiday that is virtually unknown in Barcelona. As far as I know, anyway. (Anyone seen the Purim party bus around?)
In Barcelona, it’s quite easy to miss the Jewish holidays. Without my trusty Jewish holiday calendar on gmail, I would never know the correct dates for celebrating them.
It’s also difficult to find supplies for the traditional customs associated with each holiday. Still looking for a chanukiah, three months after the fact. (We tried to procure one at the only synagogue I know of in the city, but to no avail.) So not surprisingly, finding decent hamantashen and Queen Esther costumes is a challenge.
- Purim on Wikipedia (historical and cultural summary)
- Brief explanation of Purim (with hamantashen recipe!)
- Chag Purim, children’s Purim song (Temple Gates crew, you will remember this one!)
- Listen to part of the Megillah, as read by Rabbi Michoel Slavin
Let’s learn English!
Me·gil·lah (m
-g
l
) n.
gillâ, scroll, from g
lal, to roll; see gll in Semitic roots.]
2 replies on “Happy Purim!”
My mom’s traditional shoebox full of homemade ones arrived Monday. 🙂
no shoebox for Jodi – share the wealth, dude!