Wolowik 2/24/2009 9:34 AM Page 1

Dear Friend, Here comes Purim, the most joyous festival on the Jewish calendar. NON PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Patchogue, NY Permit No. 400 Purim is a fantastic celebration for young and old, and we hope this guide will motivate, inspire, and enhance your festivities. It contains the story of Purim and its messages, instructions for the holiday customs, a great recipe and more. With Chabad Please enjoy this pamphlet, and when you are done, of the Five Towns OWNS

share it with your family and friends and invite T

them to join in the festivities of Purim. IVE F Grab your graggers and join us for Chabad's annual grand Purim Bash, and our multi media Megillah reading on Monday evening, March 9, at 7:30 pm. Join us for morning services Tuesday morning, ISCHMAN ENTER OF THE March 10 at 6:00 am and megillah reading at 6:20 F C am. Our second morning services will begin at 8:00 EAN am and megillah reading at 8:20 am. J HABAD HE

For more information about all of our Purim T C 74 Maple Avenue Cedarhurst, NY 11516 activities, please call me at (516) 295-2478 or visit the website at www.chabad5towns.com. We look forward to seeing you! Happy Purim! Sincerely, RABBI SHNEUR Z. WOLOWIK JOIN CHABAD FOR [email protected] E-mail: Tuesday, March 10, 5:30pm March Tuesday, URIM BASH www.chabad5towns.com P Reservations Required by Wednesday March 4th guacamole, salsa, burritos and fajitas at the Chabad Center of the Five Towns at the Chabad Center of Five Towns A Mexico-themed Purim feast with delicious 516-295-2478 entertaining Mariachi Music with a Jewish twist! Website: Website: Phone: For more information and reservations please call Chabad at information and reservations For more "PURIM IN MEXICO" & Family Megillah reading at 7:30 pm JOIN CHABAD CENTER OF THE FIVE TOWNS FOR OUR ANNUAL GRAND 9, 2009 March Monday, at the Chabad Center of Five Towns > Exciting show for Children at 6:30 PM! > Followed by Multi Media Megillah Reading for Children > With a Special reading for moms and tots! > Graggers Hamentashen Music Costumes devises a scheme to annihilate miraculously, favor is returned whole-heartedly to LISTEN TO THE MEGILLAH SEND every Jew throughout the granted. Private dinner Torah and mitzvot, GIFTS OF Megillat Esther is Esther’s and Mordechai’s Basic kingdom in a single day. parties are thrown; the King strengthening their faith and FOOD first-hand narrative of Haman’s plot to promises Esther her heart’s observance. In the merit of destroy the Jewish people, and how he Purim is a Kreplach The History desire, and she exposes this, they were able to rise up Rallying The Jews was miraculously vanquished. We listen to time to Haman’s plot, which is against their enemies and It almost works, were it not the reading of the Megillah twice celebrate { dramatically called off by destroy them, on the 13th of (Dumplings) for Mordechai. A descendent during Purim: once on Jewish the king. Adar, the very day scheduled of King Saul, he senses the whoever reads the Megillah Monday evening, March 9, unity and of for Haman’s massacre. danger and recognizes its merely as ancient history has 2009 and again on friendship. PURIM TO BOIL: Place in boiling Kreplach are small squares source. Donning sackcloth Victory The turnaround had begun. missed the point. The Purim Tuesday, March We send packages of rolled pasta dough salted water. Cook A BRIEF SYNOPSIS and ashes, he sits at the This is a story of the great The Jewish people would story is directly relevant to 10, 2009. containing at least two different kinds approximately 20 minutes filled with ground beef or palace gates, crying aloud courage and self-sacrifice of soon leave exile, return to the our contemporary world. The Try not to miss of ready-to-eat foods (e.g. hamantashen until kreplach float to top. chicken and folded into and rallying the Jews to Esther and Mordechai, and Holy Land, and rebuild the Megillah itself says that when a word! This is an and fruit) to at least one friend (men TO SAUTE: Heat oil over triangles. Traditionally return to G-d and his Torah. by the whole Jewish nation. Temple. we celebrate Purim each year, interactive event: when Haman’s name is give to men and women give to medium flame in 10-inch anger In Exile served on Purim, they moved into place: A king When Queen Esther calls for While the decree hung over the miraculous events of mentioned, we twirl graggers women). These gifts, Mishloach Manot, skillet. Sauté boiled kreplach 365 BCE. The Temple in can be boiled and served until golden brown on both celebrating his kingship with him, he tells her that she their heads, not a single Jew Purim - Then and Now Purim are “remembered and (noisemakers) and stamp our feet to are traditionally sent by a friendly Jerusalem has been in soup or fried and sides. decadent parties. A defiant must go to the King and chose to convert, even to save One of the Purim mitzvot is reenacted” in our lives. drown out the sound of his evil name. messenger. destroyed; the Jewish nation queen, executed. A Jewish served as a side dish. NOTE: Dough will roll out plead for her people. his life. Together, they the reading of the Megillah By fulfilling the special conquered, and for almost 70 queen, Esther, is chosen more easily after being Officially in disfavor, she (scroll) of Esther, which mitzvot of the Purim festival, wrapped in a damp cloth for years, dispersed in foreign against her will, and hides fears approaching him, but recounts miracle of Purim. we reaffirm our commitment one hour. lands. The prophesied end of her faith. Her uncle, DOUGH: sees that she has no choice. The Talmud tells us that to the eternal values of the Yields: 18 kreplach exile has not yet materialized, Mordechai, uncovers an The Purim 1 ¾ cups flour She undertakes a three-day “whoever reads the Megillah Torah. May we share in the and the blight of assimilation assassination plot. 2 eggs fast of penitence, and calls backwards does not fulfill his very same merit that has begun set in. ½ tsp. Salt Into this scene strides upon the whole Jewish obligation.” Our Sages redeemed the Jewish people 3 Tbsp. Oil Gradually, a series of events Haman. Descended from the people to do the same. Then explain that “backwards” is in the days of Mordechai and FILLING unfold and characters are Jew-hating tribe of Amalek, he she approaches the King, and not only literal, but also that Esther. 1 cup ground cooked Mitzvot beef or chicken 1 small onion, grated GIVE TO THE POOR 1 tsp. salt Giving tzedakah (charity), a year-round privilege, is a particularly FILLING: In a small bowl the especial mitzvah of giving charity to sometimes referred to as Yom HaKipurim, special mitzvah on Purim. Give charity to at least two needy mix filling ingredients well. anyone who extends his/her hand for help. literally “the day that is like Purim,” hinting individuals on Purim day, ideally by giving directly to the DOUGH: In a large bowl Our Sages explain that on Purim, we, too, that Purim is an even more auspicious day person. If this is not possible, place at least StretchinΩ Out combine dough ingredients several coins into different charity boxes. have the right to “put out our hand” to G-d than Yom Kippur! together. Knead and roll out OUR HANDS and ask Him for our needs, even more than Thus, amidst the rejoicing, merrymaking, on floured board as thin as possible without tearing. Cut on any other day. The same way we fulfill the charity-giving, hamantash-eating, gifts of Based on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe into 3-inch squares. Place a needs of others when they extend their hands food-sending, Megillah-hearing, and teaspoon of filling carefully in on Purim, G-d will fulfill our needs when we dressing up of Purim, it’s appropriate to EAT A FESTIVE MEAL center. Bring bottom left point ho’s perfect? We’re human, so Himself. Just as Jews are commanded to do the same. spend some minutes in heartfelt prayer to Purim is celebrated with a festive and joyous meal during up to top right point and seal W certainly not us. We may talk quite wear Tefillin, G-d also “dons” Tefillin. G-d, extending our hands for all of our own edges. Moisten edges with tip How do we extend our hand to G-d? the daytime of Tuesday, March 10. Traditional foods include of finger dipped in cold water emphatically to our children about ideal Whereas our Tefillin speak of our love for Through prayer. The Baal Shem Tov taught needs, and for the needs of our family and soup with kreplach (stuffed dumplings) and fruit- or nut- to keep seams closed. behaviors, but in truth, it is often hard to G-d and our responsibility to obey His that on Purim one should rise early to pray friends. filled triangular cookies called hamantashen. The hidden follow our own instruction, and to do as we commands, G-d’s Tefillin speak of His love and ask G-d for everything that he needs. And On Purim, a holiday of Redemption from evil, fillings in both foods remind us that G-d’s ever-present say. Even to a child, the inconsistency is clear. for the Jewish people. not only for oneself, but for others as well, for we can also ask G-d for a universal need, involvement in the Purim episode was hidden, and not G-d, however, isn’t limited. When G-d tells This reciprocal relationship is evident in the Purim is an especially auspicious time for our peace among all nations with the final openly revealed. (In fact, the name of G-d is not mentioned us to do something, He will do the same holiday of Purim, as well. On Purim we have prayers, just like Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is Redemption. even once in Megillat Esther!)