This week we celebrate Purim. The holiday begins at sundown on Saturday and most congregations and JCCs will have a Purim carnival or other celebration on Sunday, March 20. I’m listing a bunch of them below. If you don’t see one near you, you can either search for “Purim” and the name of your city or you can email me & ask about the city where you live.
Some Adult Purim events are planned for Saturday evening. Take a look at this one from Beth Am in Los Altos Hills, http://www.betham.org/builder/?p=20367
I am looking forward to seeing some of you at the Purim celebrations that I’ll be working on – one for families with young kids and one for adults only (yes, we’ll be drinking!) Both are at the East Bay JCC. (see below)
EVENTS
Israeli Folk Dance for Beginners (Oakland)
Purim Spiel & Carnival (Oakland)
Purim at Tot Shabbat (San Rafael)
Purim Unmasked: An Off-Street Festival (San Francisco)
Purim Carnival! (Berkeley)
Purim For Adults: The Jewish Mardi Gras from Persia (Berkeley)
Israeli Folk Dance for Beginners
This is a beginner’s dance course designed for people who are new to Israeli Folk Dance (IFD) or for people who have little dancing experience. By the end of the course, you will be familiar with the basic steps, and you will have memorized a repertoire of complete dances. IFD is a fun way to learn about the culture, the history, and the people of Israel through dance, and get some good aerobic exercise. You will leave each session feeling energized and accomplished.
Dates: Wednesdays, March 16 – April 13
Time: 7pm to 8pm
Place: Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St., Oakland
The cost is $10 per class. For more information, please contact Gabby at gabby@oaklandsinai.org
Purim Spiel & Carnival
Join us for an incredible original spiel – the Megillah According to Abba v’Ima – plus challenging games, thrilling prizes, great food and fun, fun, fun! Get your costumes on come play! Advance discount tickets go on sale starting on March 6.
Date: Saturday March 19 at 7pm & Sunday, March 20 at 9:30am
Carnival is March 20 at 10:30am
Carnival tickets: $25 ticket book for only $20 in the Main Office or the Education Office or at the door.
Place: Temple Sinai, 2808 Summit St., Oakland
Purim at Tot Shabbat
Come in costume, nosh a hamantashen, sing a silly song and learn the story of Queen Esther and Haman from Jonathan Bayer! Best for children and grandchildren ages 0 to 5. Meet in our Sanctuary. All are welcome!
Date: Saturday, March 19
Time: 9:30 to 10:15am
Place: Rodef Sholom, 170 North San Pedro Road, San Rafael
Info: (415) 479-3441
Purim Unmasked: An Off-Street Festival
FREE admission to all! Wear a costume and don’t miss the costume parade led by lion dancers. Join our community celebration:
Indoor Street Fair
Face painting and henna art, book store, tea tasting, hamantaschen baking, multicultural food and local jewelry artists.
A Little Bit of the Street
Food carts and inflatables.
Entertainment
Belly dancing, Capoeira, Mary Spalding of Steel Jam, Purim storytelling with Mahatma Moses and Fun Puppets with Dmitry Rashkin and his wife Svetlana Chernitskaya.
Giving Back
Make a tzedakah box.
Family Friendly
Bouncy House, crown and mask making using recycled materials, Mr. Shap’s balloon animals, KinderGym and more. Enjoy kid-friendly food at the JCCSF’s new café.
Date: Sunday, March 20
Time: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Place: San Francisco JCC, 3200 California St., San Francisco
Purim Unmasked is a Zero Waste Event!
Presented in partnership with Be’chol Lashon.
Purim Carnival!
Join the JCC East Bay for our community-wide Purim Carnival! We had over 500 people attend last year and it was a blast! Dress up in your favorite costume for the costume parade, play with groggers, make masks to wear all day, and celebrate with carnival games and win prizes.
BRING A FRIEND AND YOU WIN A PRIZE!
Date: Sunday, March 20
Time: 2:00-5:00pm
Place: East Bay JCC, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley
Admission is an act of tzedakah, please bring canned food to donate!
Cosponsors: Building Jewish Bridges, Congregation Beth El, JCC East Bay, and Jewish Gateways.
Purim For Adults: The Jewish Mardi Gras from Persia
Celebrate a wild and crazy Jewish holiday, with a stimulating evening of adult discussion, drinks, and dessert! No Jewish experience or knowledge is necessary. We will gather at 7pm for a brief and boisterous telling of the Purim story, then choose from among several exciting, interactive learning sessions:
* Magic Behind the Mask: The Transformative Potential of Interfaith Relationships, with Dawn Kepler
* Hidden Holiness: Unmasking the Spiritual Teachings of Purim, with Rabbi Bridget Wynne
* Beyond the Mask, Beyond the Body: A Look at Gender From the Other Side, with Maggid Jhos Singer
* Persian Treats: A Cooking Demonstration, with Niloufar Yadegar
After thought provoking conversations we’ll join together at 8:20 to share sweets and schnapps tasting, plus schmoozing (chatting)!
Date: Thursday, March 24
Time: 7 to 9pm
Place: East Bay JCC, 1414 Walnut St., Berkeley
FREE, you must be 21 or older to participate.
Cosponsors: Building Jewish Bridges, JCC East Bay, JIMENA and Jewish Gateways.