Chag Purim!–Exploring the Collections for the Holiday
by David P. Rosenberg, M.P.A., Senior Reference Librarian – Collections, Center for Jewish History
Purim is the joyous holiday that “marks the period Jews were barely snatched from the hangman’s noose,” as it is explained in Jayne Cohen’s holiday cookbook. The word “Purim” means “lots,” as the evil Haman cast lots to determine the time when the Jews were to be killed. It is said that Purim and Hanukkah—which are sometimes called the “Diaspora Festivals”—were “instituted by the Sages to commemorate miracles and bring to mind aspects of spiritual potential that come to the fore in time of danger to our national existence” (from “Purim—its observance and significance…”).
The partners’ collections here at the Center for Jewish History offer even more insight into how Purim has been celebrated—and what significance it has taken on—across hundreds of years of Jewish life.
A Glimpse of the Collections
The library of the American Jewish Historical Society is a good place to start exploring the celebration of Purim in America. One item that reveals a historic Purim event is an article from 120 years ago (which can be found in The sacred soil of America-A Purim celebration on Ward’s Island in 1882). It recounts the call for assistance for immigrants who needed the support of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, and how a fundraising event in celebration of Purim contributed to this cause in March of 1882.
The call was in the Jewish Messenger of New York’s editorials on March 3, 1882. It encouraged Jews to help fellow Jews who had escaped Russian persecution. “It is the duty of the American Jew to inspire them with olden merriment and make the festival a day of joy for those tempest–tossed emigrants, by prompt and cheerful assistance,” it said (p. 145).
A week later, the response and events were chronicled in a letter to the editor: “While most of our coreligionists were celebrating the feast of Purim in various ways, more than three hundred Jewish refugees on Ward’s island were not slow in imitating their more fortunate brethren.”(p. 147). It added, “Mr. Bergman was unceremoniously seized by half a dozen strong arms, bodily carried to the center of the room and repeatedly lifted up in the aid to the delight of the crowing babes…”(p. 148).
(There are multiple Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society collections within the collections of the partners, including selected microfilm of the HIAS Boston arrival records. Click here for a family history database on the Center’s website that indexes these records.)
Selections: A Purim Play and Song
In addition to the longstanding Purim tradition of giving charitable donations, many other Purim customs have evolved in Jewish communities. One is the presentation of a Purim play as a means of celebration. Haman’s Conspiracy: A Purim Play (1910) has a touching finale that includes a solo by the character Harbona:
“Old Mordecai, an upright Jew,
To Hamen ne’er would kneel;
The villain had an edict signed
That no one could repeal
And Haman said that all the Jews
His vengeance they would feel,
In every province in the land of Persia!”
Lords and All (Chorus)–
“Bow down bow down,”
Ahasheras said!
“Bow doan bow down,”
The wicked Haman said!
“Oh no” said Mordecai,
"I am a good and upright Jew,
And never will I bend the knee to you!”
The Purim Anthology has more than 500 pages of holiday material. One song by S.S. Grossman struck me: “Ten Little Maidens.” (It is sung to the tune of the old song “one little, two little, three little Indians.”) “The King saw many little maidens…he loved them not at all…the King saw sweet little Esther and loved her best of all.”
A Family Holiday
Happy Purim with Fishele and Fraydele, a storybook for Purim, can be looked at as a case study of children’s materials and family values in traditional Judaism. The forward introduces the work “…children absorb knowledge very readily and also tend to identify themselves with storybook characters. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that they get the right impressions.”
There are many poignant statements in the storybook: “After eating a good supper, and benching clearly, [the children] help in decorating the Shalach Monos cake boxes with glue and glitter.” Other lines are, “Since it is still early, Mrs. Freed decides to surprise the kinderlich with home-made Purim costumes. She makes them out of purple crepe paper…” and, “On Taanis Ester, the day before Purim, Mrs. Freed usually does the baking. Since Mommy is fasting Fishele and Fraydele do all the tasting.“
Traditional and Transformed Roles for Women During Purim
Jayne Cohen’s The Gifilte Variations has a recipe for chickpeas with garlic and barbecue spices. The cookbook states that chickpeas are a traditional food especially on Purim “when they are served to mimic Queen Esther, who ate legumes and grains instead of the king’s nonkosher food” (p. 296). (You can learn more about cookbooks from this blog post.)
Women’s traditional roles of cooking for the holiday, making costumes for children and even organizing Purim plays have been recognized to “Construct community including shared values by organizing and reorganizing ritual food exchange at the holiday of Purim” (or, Shalach Monos as it is referred to in Fishele and Fraydele). "Computing community at Purim” argues that “practitioners of ritual actively construct as well as reflect culture and community” (p. 275). The article examines women organizing community based ritual exchanges of food and drink. The social norms of the community are examined alongside the community building activities.
Examples from the article include how, like in many other communities, courtesy is a concern for the women of congregation Tifereth Israel of Forest Park Queens. Reciprocation is touched upon, stating that it is appropriate to reciprocate packages, even those that are unexpected. “Consequently, households generally keep a generous supply of portions on hand to reciprocate unanticipated packages, and thus avoid open social rupture.”(p. 280). The importance of presentation and appearances is also mentioned: “Those who have a reputation as meticulous hostesses are expected to present elegantly designed and executed portions” (p. 280).
As the article puts it, “In many contemporary Orthodox communities in the United States shalach mones has, in recent years, been greatly emphasized and embellished”(p 280). “Wishing relief from their increasingly burdensome workload on Purim”(p. 281) the women of Tifereth Israel organized a fundraiser (akin to a similar program run by Amit) where a computerized program helped them to participate the tradition of shalach mones while controlling “the undesirable elements of competition and display that badly crept into recent shalach mones exchange”(p. 281). The computer would compile lists of recipients and the committee would distribute baskets with cards noting the contributors.
I discovered another example of the transformation of the holiday’s traditions in an exhibition catalog: A different Purim sound : waving flags + ringing bells : an exhibition of Esther and Vashti Purim flags by Jewish artists. An essay introducing the idea of Esther and Vashti Purim flags in the work (also available here) explains that there are two stories expressed in Megillat Esther—first, the easily influenced state of Jews in the Diaspora; and second, the story “beginning with a wife who is banished when she refuses to obey her husband and concluding with a wife who is listened to and given a significant amount of power.” The author explains, “With the new ritual of waving Esther/Vashti Purim flags, we encourage our communities to celebrate and more deeply explore both of Purim’s stories. Purim thus becomes both a celebration of and reflection on Jewish pride and perseverance and an opportunity to honor women’s power in the face of those who fear it.”
However you decide to celebrate Purim and Women’s History Month, we hope you have a joyous day, and that your holiday includes exploring these items from the collections:
– Bible Coloring Book from 1904
– A Playbill for Eshter: A Vaudeville Megillah
You can also conduct your own search for great holiday material by clicking here.
