Purim 2007Yesterday was the holiday of Purim (פורים). Purim is a happy holiday for the Jewish people, because if you read the the story of Esther you will see things turned out A-OK for us.

Saturday night is when we read the Megillah. Which is nice, since normally, you stay in synagogue after evening services to hear the Megillah but you are still fasting for the 45 minutes of reading the Megillah. Since the fast fell out on Shabbat, we moved the fast forward to Thursday and read the Megillah on Saturday night, and celebrated Purim Sunday.

Technically, today is Shushan Purim.

I live in a very very jewish area and you don't want to be on the streets on Purim, because it is a mad house. Seriously, you have kids and adults driving and walking around all dressed up; some as clowns, some as bears, some as queens, some as soldiers and so on. Some even dress up their cars, some rent limos for the day. People go around giving friends and family mishloach manot (gifts of food) and charity to the poor (more info on that here). They often drink at their friends and some get a bit too drunk, hence why some rent drivers and limos.

I was at work in the morning.

I got home about 1:30pm and my wife and I dropped of mishloach manot to friends. Then we went to my parents for Seudat Purim, I am still full from that. Ours was a bit like Thanksgiving meal, but without the football.

That was my purim and the picture above is my niece, all dressed up. :)