Lakewood residents ready to celebrate the joys, tradition of Purim
LAKEWOOD - Local children are sporting costumes in their classrooms and party organizers are making sure their bars are fully stocked because it’s time for Purim, known as the most joyful and rowdy of Jewish holidays.
As the Jewish community in Lakewood and around the globe prepares for Purim, which starts this evening, Chabad of Jackson, a local branch of Chabad-Lubavitch – an organization that promotes traditional Judaism through education – reminds them not to forget what Purim is really about.
Since its foundation five year ago, Chabad of Jackson, a Haredi or ultra-Orthodox organization, has been educating area residents of any Judaic denomination about traditional Jewish practices and beliefs.
Rabbi Shmuel Naparstek, director and founder of Chabad of Jackson, said that ever since the late 1800s, when the Jewish diaspora started moving from the Middle East and eastern Europe towards western Europe and the Americas, traditional Jewish religious practices became less forceful.
Given that Lakewood is a “hub for religious Judaism,” Naparstek said he saw fit for his organization to educate in order to reassert traditional Jewish values.
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Naparstek recounted that about 2,500 years ago, after the Babylonian empire exiled Jewish people from what today is Israel, Jews were at the mercy of the Persian empire, which had planned to kill all Jewish persons. But, Esther, a Jewish orphan, pretended not to be Jewish, married the Persian emperor and succeeded at persuading him to cancel the genocidal plans.
Since then, Purim has commemorated the salvation of the Jewish people from the Persian empire through four commandments: send food gifts, give money to the poor, hear the book of Esther read and enjoy a festive meal.
Lakewood resident Avraham Deutsch said that every year he tries to observe all four parts, but for the most part he only hears the reading and enjoys a festive meal. As he put it, sometimes the gift giving “gets lost in the shuffle.”
“I think most people start out the day intending to fulfill all four mitzvos (commandments), but sometimes over the course of the day things get a little crazy,” he said.
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For Lakewood resident Shlomo Schorr, gift giving is one of his favorite things to do aside from driving around visiting friends and extended family members – something that seldom happens in most Jewish holidays in which the Orthodox are not allowed to drive.
“Costumes are mostly for children. They are not part of the religious aspect of Purim,” Naparstek said. “Sometimes, a holiday loses its religious identity and becomes a cultural celebration."
Juan Carlos Castillo is a reporter covering everything Lakewood. He delves into politics, social issues and human-interest stories. Reach out to him at JcCastillo@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Lakewood NJ marks Purim celebration with costumes, festive meals
