The following information was taken from the book “Enter His Gates To Your Jewish Roots”, by Susan Marcus.
Purim could most probably be called the "happiest" holiday of the year. It is a time for donating gifts for the poor, for exchanging gifts with family and friends, for dressing up in costumes and, generally, rejoicing in the wonderful story contained in the Book of Esther.
Purim commemorates events in Persia and Medina. There, about two hundred years B.C.E., and evil man by the name of Haman had a plan to destroy the Jews. He drew lots to decide the date - the 14th of the Hebrew month Adar. The word "purim" in Hebrew means lots - therfore the name of the holiday. For full details read the Book of Esther! It's a story of mystery and intrigue as Queen Esther and her uncle Mordecai, uncover and foil Haman's plot saving the entire Jewish population. Instead, on the day Haman and his conspirators planned to hang the Jewish people of Shushan, he and his henchmen were hanged!
Click here to see more photos from the Purim Party 2007.
