A time of silliness, celebration
Based on a tale of deliverance and looking like a cross between Mardi Gras and Halloween, Purim will be celebrated by members of Butler's B'nai Abraham synagogue, 519 N. Main St., March 2.
There will be eating and costumes and noisemakers and silliness during the 7 p.m. Purim service, said B'nai Abraham's Cantor Michal Gray-Schaffer.
Purim, which actually begins at sundown Wednesday, is based on the story of Esther.
The Book of Esther, also known in Hebrew as “the Scroll” (Megillah), is a book in the third section of the Jewish Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible) and relates the story of a Hebrew woman in Persia, born as Hadassah but known as Esther, who becomes queen of Persia and thwarts a genocide of her people, said Gray-Schaffer.
“She became queen and she was the most beautiful woman in his kingdom, but she hid her Jewishness,” said Gray-Schaffer.
“The king's evil adviser, Haman, became mad at the Jews and wanted to destroy them because Esther's Uncle Mordecai would not bow down to him,” said Gray-Schaffer.
She said, “Haman plotted to put all the Jews in the kingdom to death and cast lots (Purim) to decide the day.”
Gray-Schaffer said Mordecai discovers the plan, and implores Esther to intercede with the king.
Esther reveals herself to be a Jew to the king, who can't rescind Haman's proclamation but decrees the Jews have his leave to defend themselves from attackers, Gray-Schaffer said.
To learn more about the Purim celebration at B'nai Abraham synagogue, read the Butler Eagle.
