For Humanistic Jews, Purim is a celebration of the heroic in Jewish history, a tribute to human ethical role models. Human courage and ingenuity are at the center of a story about the triumph of good over evil. Humanistic Jews celebrate the heroes and chastise the villains of the world through modern Purim shpiels. Reading the Megilla – accompanied by gragers, cheers, and boos – provides a starting point from which to move beyond the framework of the biblical story. The masks of Purim become the faces of Jewish men and women worthy of emulation, from Mordecai to Theodore Herzl and Albert Einstein, and from Esther to Henrietta Szold and Golda Meir. Humanistic Purim celebrations often feature children’s costume parades and carnivals. These lighthearted activities have a serious side, recalling the heroism of individuals and the organized resistance to oppression of the Jewish people.
The Westchester Community for Humanistic Judaism (http://www.wchj.org) will hold its Purim celebration on Saturday, March 25, starting at 2:30pm, at the Community Unitarian Universalist Congregation (468 Rosedale Avenue in White Plains). It will include a service led by Rabbi Frank Tamburello and a Purimshpiel. Admission is free, but attendees are asked to bring a dessert dish or some fruit (tea and coffee will be provided).
WCHJ is also collecting canned or non-perishable packaged food for its food drive, in the tradition of Shalach Manot.
