Be Happy, It's Purim!

The Jewish Community Center of Fort Lee hosted its annual Purim carnival for children of Fort Lee’s Jewish community Sunday in the early afternoon. organized the event and welcomed neighboring synagogue communities to the celebration.

Fran Koszer, longtime member of the synagogue and co-chair of the Education Committee, helped organize the carnival and was happy to see the progress.

“Every year it seems to view. It seems that more and more people are coming, even from outside the synagogue. I know there are relatives of people outside of Fort Lee here,” Koszer said.

Purim is a celebratory holiday for Jews. It marks their deliverance from the evil Haman and is included in the biblical book of Esther. After listening to scripture, children are encouraged to dress up in costumes and enjoy delicious treats, and there is an all-around festive feel to the holiday.

“It’s really an inter-generational [event],” Koszer said.

Cory Chargo, the Director of Education, was the senior coordinator of the carnival. He attended the carnival in a king’s crown and welcomed everyone with a smile.

Chargo explained that children were dressed in silly costumes because the holiday itself is mythological and fantastic in substance, and encourages “silliness.”

“The whole story of Esther is really silly, makeup believe sort of story, so the costumes sort of emphasize the silliness of life,” Chargo said.

Chargo retold the story of Esther and her heroism to the children prior to the carnival upstairs in the center.

The Jewish Community Center’s gymnasium was transformed into the carnival for the holiday. Tickets were purchased in order to play festival games (pin the tail, hoop shots, ski ball, etc) and then earned to be traded in for little prizes later on. Hot dogs and other snacks were available. While socked children slid down a giant inflatable slide or bounced uproariously inside a floating castle. Parent volunteers of the temple manned the tables.

Koszer said that attendance this year was better than last, and that every year it’s a little more amazing.

Rabbi Kenneth Stern was a lively face at the festival. He could be seen going down the slide with children while balancing administrative duties. He too said this year’s attendance was impressive and heartening.

“I think we have [more people this year],” Stern said.

One parent, Tammy Jacobs, new to the Congregation of Gesher Salom, admitted that this Purim festival outdid the celebration at her previous temple.

”I think it’s amazing, everybody’s so nice and down to earth,” she said.

Jacobs said that this community was warmer and more inviting as well.

”I’ve never experienced a great Purim like this, and that’s the truth,” she said.

Maggie Jacobs, 6, Tammy’s daughter, had similar opinions. When asked what her favorite part of the festival was, she pointed to the gigantic bouncing slide and quietly announced:

“The slide.”

The Purim carnival was funded entirely by the Jewish Community Center.