Purim is meant to be a joyous holiday, but many synagogues are wrestling with how they should celebrate in the wake of the Israel-Gaza war.
A Jewish man wears a costume during Purim holiday as he passes a mural calling for the return of the hostages kidnapped during the Oct. 7 Hamas cross-border attack, in Tel Aviv. On Saturday night, rabbis at a large Washington, D.C. synagogue plan to dress up as Jewish-inspired Barbies and try to hold two truths at once: that the ancient holiday of Purim is a time for celebration and joy, and that some in their community want no part in that joy.
In Israel, where many Jewish Americans have family, or visit or know someone directly touched by the war, Tel Aviv has canceled its Purim parade. Jerusalem still plans to hold its celebration, but has“It’s different than usual because the world is different than usual,” said Corey Helfand, the rabbi at Ohr Kodesh in Chevy Chase, Md., a Conservative synagogue with 500 families.
In Chevy Chase, Helfand has changed the focus of his weekly biblical studies class over the past few weeks to focus on Purim, which he says grapples with moments of pain similar to what’s happening in Israel, Gaza and rising antisemitism in America. He is also planning group discussions over the holiday based on age and gender to give a space for congregants’ conflicting emotions.
Alexander said Adas Israel is planning to read the last chapter more quietly this year, in a nod to the discomfort some may feel in hearing it, while having on hand some alternative versions of the text made by a progressive Jewish organization called The Shalom Center.In the days after Oct. 7, the Shalom Center began planning for how this Purim would be different, said Nate DeGroot, a rabbi and its associate director.
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