Some of my fondest memories are from family holiday parties. I come from a large European old fashioned close knit Jewish family. What I mean is that we are a super tight unit and get-togethers are supremely loud, energetic, and delicious. Especially now since many of my cousins are now parents themselves. It used to be that every holiday culminated with these family festivities. Not the case anymore. But this year my mom decided to host a Purim party and to invite both sides of the family. Never done before.
To some people Purim is the Jewish Halloween. Really Purim is a festival that commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in Ancient Persia from Haman's plot to destroy the Jews in a single day. Three years ago my father passed away a few days prior to Purim. In some ways my mother hosted this party so that our extended (almost immediate) family could be together at this time. Lately I'm feeling emotional recounting some horrid moments from that tragic time.
How nice it was for us to be together again :) chatting, laughing, eating...true party fun!
Two reasons people think Purim is The Jewish Halloween:
1. We dress up in costumes (traditionally children dressed up as the heroes from the Purim story)
2. We send gifts of food to our friends (an exchange called Mishloach Manot in Hebrew)
No comments:
Post a Comment