INSIDE

A. Family's
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page 68

Surprise Day!
Is Special

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Introducing The New
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helping jewish families grow -

Happy Days

Are Here Again

Celebrating our most fun holiday, Purim.

Elizabeth Applebaum
AppleTree Editor

The Story:

how dreadful Haman is, and so
saves the entire Jewish people
of Persia. In the end, Haman
gets exactly what he had
planned for the Jews: He is
.hanged.

In Shushan, Persia, there is a
king Ahasureus and his wicked
prime minister, Haman. Haman
When does the holiday
is the kind of fellow who likes a
begin?
lot of admiration, to put it mildly.
Purim is observed the 14th of
In fear for their lives, most in
Adar. This year, Purim starts
the kingdom prostrate them-
Monday evening, March 1.
selves before Haman and con-
Why is it called Purim?
stantly speak of how utterly
As Haman began making his
wonderful and smart and hand-
plans, he thought to draw lots,
some and clever — well,
or purim, to decide
you get the idea
which month the
— he is. But
killing would
7,ct ir
one man, a
begin.
Jew named
14. 1 What do we
Mordechai,
do on this day?
refuses to do
In synagogue
so. Haman
or temple, we
decides to
hear Megillat
retaliate and
Esther, the Scroll of
punish not just
Esther, which tells the
Mordechai but all the
story of Purim. We yell and
Jews.
shout and otherwise scream
Meanwhile, Mordechai's love-
whenever Haman is mentioned,
ly niece Esther learns of
that his name should be erased.
Haman's wicked plot. Esther
We also send mishloach manot,
marries the king, then begins to
gifts of food, to friends and
turn the tables on Haman.
neighbors and make at least
She helps King Ahasureus see
iwo donations to tzedakah.