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Holiday celebrated with costumes

Adults, children don disguises for Jewish festival with music, magic

By JAMES BURGER, Californian staff writer
e-mail: jburger@bakersfield

Posted: Sunday March 7th, 2004, 10:20 PM
Last Updated: Sunday March 7th, 2004, 10:33 PM

The children were dressed as kings and princesses, as melodrama villains and police officers and ballerinas. Adults were in monster masks, vampire costumes and the costumes of Egyptian queens.
The disguises are the fun, and also the lesson of Purim, a Jewish festival that celebrates life, joy and the rescue of the Jewish people from hatred and slaughter more than two millennia ago.
The holiday memorializes the story of Esther, a Jewish woman who became the queen of Persia and helped save her people from the genocidal plot of a king's counselor named Haman. Esther did not reveal her Jewish faith and heritage until she could expose Haman's plot to her husband, the king, and turn the tables on the villain's plans."We get to disguise ourselves like Esther disguised herself," said Alma Uminsky at the Purim celebration hosted by Chabad of Bakersfield on Sunday.

Sunday's event started with a reading of the Purim story, from a Megilla scroll, punctuated by hoots of derision and clattering sound-makers as the name of Haman was read.Then it was time for food, drink, music, magicians and the other assorted silliness that is traditional for the event.The celebration, at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel, was Chinese-themed with kosher Chinese food and decorations."It's about drinking and making merry," said Chabad Rabbi Shmuel Schlanger.
Dressed in a silk jacket and peaked straw hat, the rabbi mugged for adults and teased the costumed children with bows, silly voices and kung fu stances.Uminsky said Purim is one of the most fun of the Jewish holidays."The adult who dresses best will get a prize," she said. "The children all get prizes. And there will be a magic show."There is always a magic show, she said.Esther Schlanger, the rabbi's wife, said the holiday is very geared toward children. It's also aimed at childlike fun and community."It's a time when the Jewish community can get together as one," she said.

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Making lots of noise on Purim

By TERESA ADAMO, Special to The Californian

Friday March 21, 2003, 06:45:08 PM

Just down the hall from a bridal fair and around the corner from a business meeting, an enthusiastic crowd has gathered to celebrate a most joyous holiday.

Among the group, there is a bumble bee, a Jedi and a mean-looking biker gently bouncing a pint-sized queen -- tiara and all -- on his knee.

Sound like a strange menagerie straight out of some surrealistic dream?

On the contrary, it's the very real setting for a very festive Purim Party hosted by Chabad of Bakersfield Monday night at the Holiday Inn Select on Truxtun Avenue.

The one-day holiday of Purim commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people through their victory over the wicked Haman -- the minister to King Achashveirosh -- nearly 2,400 years ago in Persia.

Purim, which began at sundown Monday, is celebrated on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar. It commemorates the intervention of Queen Esther, who told the king she was Jewish and pleaded with him to spare the Jews from annihilation. Achashveirosh then ordered Haman to be killed.

Because of a series of incredible circumstances that led to the Jews prevailing, it is believed that God himself performed the miracle of Purim, though disguised in natural garments.

"This is why we are in costume," said Chabad's Rabbi Shmuel Schlanger, who on this evening donned a cowboy outfit along with his yarmulke.

"Purim is based on a day of concealment so we can remember that God may very well be concealed among us, working his miracles."

Plus, the costumes just "add to the festive spirit of Purim," Schlanger said.

As more people filed into the room, which is surrounded by a bountiful harvest of Jewish delicacies, organizers prepare for a multimedia presentation about the special holiday.

While Schlanger recites the Megillah, or the Scroll of Esther, in Hebrew, his wife, Esther (dressed as a cowgirl) operates the slide projector.

Various illustrations show the various scenes recorded in the Megillah. There are also English subtitles on each frame to help non-Hebrew-speaking guests follow along with the tale.

As is tradition, whenever Haman's name is mentioned in the story of Purim, the crowd boos its disapproval, stomps the ground and twirls a collection of noisemakers.

Children are told this is a rare instance when making noise is a "mitzvah."

Of course, some of the youngest of the 40 or so Purim Party attendees on this evening did not care for a periodic noise-fest, so their mothers would shuttle the babies out of the room during those parts.

When Schlanger completed the Megillah reading, he told the crowd:

"Now, let's start the party!"

Then everyone began to feast on the buffet of specialty Purim foods such as Hamantashen, a triangle-shaped cookie made to simulate the type of hat worn by Haman.

To further entertain -- and educate -- his guests, Schlanger also offered another, much more informal version of the Megillah, though this one was read in English and in rap-like style to the delight of the audience. The festive atmosphere continued with traditional Jewish songs played in a non-traditional way -- by electric guitar.

"I call it, 'Jewish songs with spice,'" said guitarist Moshe Katzen. "This is a great night because we're all about spreading Judaism wherever and whenever we can -- it brings peace."

The mean biker guy -- a.k.a. Robert Bornstein -- of the group counts Purim as his favorite of the Jewish holidays.

"It's one of the few holidays where it's not so focused on repentance," said the heavily bearded Bornstein. "It's just celebration, fun and family."

Turns out the "little queen" enjoying the slide show with Bornstein this evening is his 4-year-old daughter, Miriam, whose costume represents a mini-version of Queen Esther herself.

Bornstein's son, Jacob, 5, is portraying Esther's cousin, Mordechai; while his wife, Jeannie, is the queen's mother, who is actually said to be dead in the story of Purim, Bornstein pointed out.

"I told her she looks pretty good for a dead gal," he said with a smile.