Purim party goes community-wide
PURIM, which will fall on March 7-8, will see Melbourne’s suburbs streaked with hamentashen shaped hats, glittering gowns and the resounding noise of the raashan. To accommodate the Jewish festivities, Shuls and community organisations across the city will open their doors, roll out the red carpet and welcome community members of all generations.
Chabad will offer a kosher buffet lunch and megillah reading at the Melbourne Town Hall at 12:30pm on March 8, attended by a dolled up Federal Member for Menzies Keven Andrews and a dashingly dressed, Member for Caulfield David Southwick. ABC radio host of 774 Jon Faine will also attend.
Hosting by far the biggest Purim bash is Rabbi Motty Lieberow, rabbi of Hamerkaz Shelanu and founder of Lamdeni Hebrew School, who will render Lunah Park a Purim party premises for a few thousand. Adults and children are invited for Thursday from 4-8pm and parents will be relieved to hear that rides, food and the acrobatic show will be included in the ticket price (pre-purchase online for $15).
Rabbi Lieberow insisted that rationing rides and dividing up children should not be an issue on Purim.
“Once you walk in, you should feel comfortable that everyone is included in the same way. This gives every child the same level of happiness, to make the most of such a special day,” he said.
On the eve of Purim, the Caulfield Hebrew Congregation (CHC) will invite kids aged two to ten years for naughty snacks and live entertainment while parents listen to the megillah, which will be followed by light cheese and wine supper in the traditional Seudah (meal).
South Caulfield Hebrew Congregation and the Central Shule Chabbad will follow a similar route, ending the long fast and festivities with a shared meal on Thursday night.
There will be a striking culture clash transpiring at St Kilda Shul on the night of Purim, as a ‘Purim in Asia’ theme will see congregants making sushi rolls, devouring Chinese-style meals and assorting mishloach manot, all in one sweep.
Elsewhere on the St. Kilda map, an afternoon carnival will take the place of Temple Beth Israel (TBI), with up to 250 kids expected to take up face-painting and other crafts activities on Sunday March 4. The next night will see members and non-members of all ages partake in the ‘Purim Supper Quiz’, centered on Jews in the Diaspora and the Purim story.
Senior Rabbi of TBI Rabbi Fred Morgan, said the Purim events will be strictly fun and games.
“We expect that people will have a fun time because Purim is the most fun-orientated pleasurable festival of the year. It is especially a time for people to let their hair down, to relax and to join the party,” he said.
The North Eastern Centre, Moorabbin Hebrew Congregation, Kew Hebrew Congregation Inc. ARK centre, Shira Hadasha and Kehilat Kitzan will also be hosting respective Purim parties. The Kew Hebrew Congregation will form a special women’s megillah reading and East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation will be navigating congregants on a boat cruise.
Moving on to the young adult age group, the checked floors of St Kilda function room Red Scooter will be a place to grove on Wednesday night for members and non-members of F.R.E.E — The Jewish Russian Centre and a service at the Chabad House will follow on Thursday.
Other community organisations will contribute to the Purim extraveganza. The Jewish Museum of Australia (JMA) will launch their first-ever Purim shindig dubbed Hamantooshie 2, to be hosted by purim party veteran Paz Faigenbaum with an expectant 300 guests. Local afro beats funk band will take the stage, right before an eclectic line-up of latin-infused tunes, set to lure a crowd aged 18-30.
JMA director Rebecca Forgasz said the museum aims to offer a “vibrant dynamic, cultural institution” and the first-ever Purim party is a positive step forward.
“This is a great opportunity for a lot of people who may not have been to the museum or seen before. Hopefully they will see how it can be relevant to them and will start to have an association with the place as a contemporary way to celebrate Jewish culture,” she said.
Other community-based organisations; namely, the United Israel Appeal (UIA) and Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) will be donning their masks and spinning a dreidel at a Superheros and Villains themed Purim Party for young adults, slated for the eve of Purim at stalwart St Kilda bar, The Saint.
For those interested in attending these events, go to the “What’s On” section of the paper. For those events not listed, try the links below:
F.R.E.E: Chabbadoncarlisle.com.au
Hamerkaz Shelanu: www.hs.org.au/festival
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