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Shiurim

USCJ EC Staff Meeting Shiur - March 2006

Purim Mystery

Left, right, up, down, diagonal, and backwards. Where are these Purim words?

 
O V A S H T I T S A V A B
A H C E D R O M R U P M A
D M G A L L O W S R U E Q
D A N Q U E T H R E R G U
E T M H A V A M A H I I S
S A O S E H A A A T M L I
O N R O E S H S U S A L M
N O D R B A N Q U E T A E
A S E I R H H A D U E S G
M L C E O C I S H L O A I
H E H V S A A D A R L S L
C Y A H A M A N I A S H L
A Y I S H S A E P P P E A
O O Y A P U V R I U M K H
L N B H A H M A N A R E R
H I U C S Q H I M M A L A
S M I A T A A N I S L O M
I V H A M A N T A S H E N
M C N A H S U H S B E Y O
A G R O G G E R V A S H T
 
Achashveirosh
Adar
Banquet
Esther
Gallows
Grogger		 Haman
Hamantashen
Matanos Levyonim
Megillah
Mishloach Manos
Mordechai		 Purim
Seudah
Shekel
Shushan
Taanis
Vashti

- www.shemayisrael.co.il/purim/mystery.htm

Questions for Discussion:

  1. Purim is a time of stories, games, and frivolity. As a group, retell the Purim story. See if you can use all of the above words.
  2. Which of the above words do you not recognize? Who can help you define all the terms? Can you be brave like Esther and ask for help when you need it?
  3. While we play lots of games and engage in many silly behaviors, like dressing up, on Purim, we should not forget that behind all the hilarity, Purim has some serious messages. Look at the following text from Megillat Esther, the Book of Esther, which tells the story of Purim:
    When Mordecai hears of Haman's plan to destroy the Jews, he sends word to Esther, charging her to go to the king and plead for the life of her people. She wavers, and he sends her this message: "Do not imagine that you, of all the Jews, will escape with your life by being in the king's palace. On the contrary, if you keep silent in this crisis, relief and deliverance will come to the Jews from another quarter, while you and your father's house will perish. And who knows, perhaps you have attained to royal position for just such a crisis" (Esther 4:13-14).
    What are some of the themes of Purim that we learn from the above passage and others that you know?
  4. Purim is an exceptionally fun time for children. How do we accentuate the excitement in our classrooms while not losing sight of some of Purim's important lessons?

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Maxine Segal Handelman
Consultant for Early Childhood Education,
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

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