Looking for a Purim spiel or carnival to attend, either in person or virtually? The CJN has compiled what local synagogues and temples are doing for the holiday, which begins the evening of Feb. 25 and ends the evening of Feb. 26.
Beth Jacob Congregation Beth Jacob Congregation in Columbus will host a Purim program for members only, featuring a magician and costume contest at 3 p.m. Feb. 21 at the synagogue.
For more information and to RSVP, email hilary@bjcolumbus.org . The synagogue is at 1223 College Ave.
Chabad of Downtown Columbus Chabad of Downtown Columbus will host two Purim events – one virtually and one in person.
First, there will be an online mental wellness-focused evening at 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 24, aiming to connect with the holiday of joy – Purim. The event costs $10 to attend and RSVPs are requested to Rabbi Yitzi Kaltmann at yndkaltmann@gmail.com for the Zoom link. Event attendees will receive a package with a cheese platter and wellness reading materials.
The second event is a socially distanced Megillah reading at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25. Attendees will read the Megillah in pods of five people at a time, spread out throughout the Chabad of Downtown. There will be personal Purim appetizers for all attendees. The event is free but RSVPs are required to yndkaltmann@gmail.com .
Chabad of Downtown is at 176 E. State St. in Columbus.
Congregation Agudas Achim Congregation Agudas Achim in Bexley will host two virtual Purim programs Feb. 25.
At 5:30 p.m., there will be a family celebration, open to all, with Rabbi Abigail Treu serving as emcee. The program includes Purim trivia, Purim songs, a few lines read from the Megillah (graggers are welcome) and a costume slideshow. For children to be included in the slideshow, they can be dressed in costumes and families can send photos to raynaweiner@gmail.com by Feb. 22.
Then at 7 p.m., the congregation will hold a traditional Megillah reading by Eran Rosenberg and Josh Feinberg, with the help of Columbus Jewish Day School students and graduates: Rony Amar, Ma’ayan Cohen, Jonah Davis, Vivian Lamendola, Zeke Moses, Leeon Rinkoff and Dovi Weiner. The reading will also be hosted by Treu.
RSVP to rsvp@agudasachim.org to request the Zoom links.
Congregation Beth Tikvah Congregation Beth Tikvah in Worthington will host its Zoomtastic Purim featuring Beth Tikvah’s greatest hits virtually at 7 p.m. Feb. 25.
Join Rabbi Rick Kellner, Rabbi Deborah Goldberg, Morissa Freiberg and Julie Sapper, along with the third through sixth grade religious school students and their families to sing along to the “greatest hits” of Beth Tikvah’s past Purimshpiels. Third through fifth grade families will also share videos of themselves singing a favorite Beatles and Manfred Mann song in their cars in homage to their favorite oldie’s and greatest hits.
To join the celebration, use meeting ID: 87386599309 and password: “155455” on Zoom.
Additionally, Beth Tikvah religious school families can pick up hamantaschen and assorted goodies in the temple parking lot Feb. 24 and Feb. 25, as well as drop off donations to the Worthington Resource Pantry as part of the congregation’s annual Purim mitzvah.
Congregation Tifereth Israel Congregation Tifereth Israel in Columbus will host several virtual Purim events.
At 6:15 p.m. Feb. 25, there will be a Megillah reading of the Purim story. During the reading, there will be photos acting out scenes from the narrative. To attend the event, use meeting ID: 87344625730, and password: “tifereth” on Zoom.
From 5:45 to 6:15 p.m. Feb. 26, there will be a Laila Tov program for congregation families with children 5 and under.
At 7:30 p.m. Feb. 27, Tifereth Israel will host a happy hour and game night. Adults are invited to a night of fun cocktail recipes and online games. Prizes will be awarded and attendees are invited to wear a fun hat or mask. The event is free and open to the community, but RSVP is appreciated to bit.ly/PurimGameNight2021 before Shabbat starts on Feb. 26. Registrants will automatically be entered to win a prize. The meeting ID is 88229652177 and the password is “tifereth” for the Zoom event.
And at 10 a.m. Feb. 28, school-aged families who belong to the synagogue are invited to a special Purim edition of Boker Or, the weekly tefillah session.
Lastly, at 11:30 a.m. Feb. 28 there will be a virtual escape room activity for members, “The Bag at the Door,” a Purim whodunit mystery.
Lori Schottenstein Chabad Center The Lori Schottenstein Chabad Center in New Albany will host a free drive-thru Purim Extravaganza carnival from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 24 in the Chabad parking lot.
The event will feature a hamantaschen bucket truck drop, a “haman ball pit dunk,” Queen Esther’s 10-foot throne, a costume contest and a royal Persian palace
drive-thru. As participants pass by each carnival booth they will learn about the four mitzvot of Purim so that they will be able to celebrate the mitzvot on the actual day of Purim, the Friday following the carnival.
Attendees may come dressed costumes.
Registration is requested online to
bit.ly/2YydVC7 . For more information, visit chabadcolumbus.com or call 614-939-0765.
The Chabad center is at 6220 East Dublin Granville Road.
Temple Beth Shalom Temple Beth Shalom in New Albany will present “Shushan’s Got Talent!” virtually at 7 p.m. Feb. 27, in celebration of Purim.
The presentation will showcase the talents of young and young at heart congregants. The pre-recorded acts will include singing, dancing, gymnastics, magic, comedy, snowboarding and instrumental selections.
Rabbi Benjy Bar-Lev and Rabbi Lenette Herzog will retell the Purim story and chant from the Megillah during the show’s “commercial” breaks.
“Shushan’s Got Talent!” can be viewed on Temple Beth Shalom’s Facebook page, facebook.com/tbsohio ; website, tbsohio.org ; and YouTube at bit.ly/2YMml9d .
Synagogues were asked to submit their Purim events.
