Purim celebration brings a slice of NYC to Mt. Lebanon
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
Rabbi Mendy Rosenblum reads from the Megillah at the Purim event in Mt. Lebanon.
Jon Andreassi/Observer-Reporter
Children came dressed to the Purim celebration in costumes and had activities available to them, such as drawing on a graffiti wall.
The Jewish faithful of the South Hills gathered to celebrate the festival of Purim, with a bit of a New York flair.
Chabad of the South Hills held their annual gathering at their Mt. Lebanon location. With a theme of “Purim in NYC,” attendees came dressed in costumes and were offered a New York deli style buffet.
“I want to give credit to my daughter, whose been doing programming here at Chabad of the South Hills … She did some research and really liked this idea,” said Batya Rosenblum, co-director at Chabad of the South Hills.
Purim takes place about a month before Passover. It is a celebration of the Jewish people overcoming a pogrom led by Haman, an adviser to King Ahashverosh of ancient Persia.
The evening began with the traditional reading of the Megillah, also known as the Book of Esther, in Hebrew by Rabbi Mendy Rosenblum, director of Chabad of South Hills.
Rabbi Rosenblum, who is Batya’s husband, read as an animated version of the story played on a television screen next to him. In keeping with the evening’s theme, he wore an Uncle Sam costume, matching Batya’s Statue of Liberty attire.
Batya noted that the story is unique as it does not mention the name of God.
“However, clearly God was intervening and was behind the scenes every step of the way,” Batya said.
The event space was decorated with subway signs and familiar New York City street signs. In addition to the buffet, children were able to draw on a graffiti wall and a station offered free T-shirt airbrushing with a New York design.
Each year they also collect donations for the less fortunate, and this year they had a special cause to support.
“We are actually today raising money for the Jews in Ukraine that are suffering terribly,” Batya said.