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WILKES-BARRE —The Jewish Community Center is aiming for the stars this year as members gear up for the annual Purim celebration.
Get those space ships and rockets ready and join in an out-of-this-world way to mark the Hebrew holiday that commemorates Esther’s deliverance of the Jews in Persia from a massacre plotted by Haman.
The holiday is customarily celebrated with a reading from the Book of Ruth, a festive dinner, a children’s festival and gestures of charitable giving, said Barbara Sugarman cultural director at the JCC.
But the big highlight is dressing in costumes and parading around, making Purim akin to Halloween.
The celebration begins at noon on Sunday, March 1, with a special carnival featuring a costume parade, music, face painting, games and crafts. It’s Purim in Outer Space and those attending are encouraged to dress as astronauts, robots or creatures from a galaxy far, far away. The costume parade will be held at 3 p.m. on Earth and marks the end to the celebration.
According to the Hebrew calendar, Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar, the day following the victory of the Jews against their enemies.
While tradition calls for participants to dress as Queen Esther or King Haman and arrive fully costumed, the event organizers said they thought it would be fun this year to have a different theme and let attendees finish out their costumes on site.
There will be special tables set up where those attending can make their own props, like masks and crowns, to further embellish their costumes, Sugarman said.
A photo booth with an outer space background, will allow revelers to take pictures in front of space scenes.
“We just thought it would add another dimension to the celebration if the people could get creative together,” Sugarman said.
There will be a magician and a moon bounce. Children can create balloon sculptures and win prizes.
“It’s a celebratory holiday and this carnival is part of this community’s tradition,” she said.
Refreshments, including Hamentashen, traditional cookies known as Haman’s pockets, filled cookies (usually with poppy seed, prune, chopped nuts and chocolate) shaped in a triangle, will be available.
At a special work table, attendees will be able to make their own Haman’s pockets and, of course, sample their handiwork after it is baked.
Carnival Master of Ceremonies Mitch Kornfeld said the event is “all about fun.”