Celebrate the Jewish Holiday of Purim

Celebrate Purim and Find a Local Events and Learn More About This Jewish Holiday

Get ready to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim - we have the scoop on the holiday with local events you can attend to learn more about this holiday.

Purim is probably the most fun of all Jewish holidays. There’s lots of good food and fun events for families like carnivals and feasts. Included are local events for you to enjoy with the kids in Ventura County, and details about the holiday's traditions and customs.

The Traditions

The Story of Purim

One of the most important traditions of this holiday is to read the Story of Queen Esther, also called the Megillah, which is read during Purim.

Children like to get dressed up for this holiday and make NOISE when Haman's name is read out of the Megillah. See the Macaroni KID Conejo Valley - Malibu - Calabasas event calendar for readings, carnivals and local events.

Send Gifts & Give Charity

Purim is a time to celebrate Jewish unity and friendship. Jews send packages containing at least two different kinds of ready-to-eat foods (e.g. hamantashen and fruit) to at least one friend (men give to men and women give to women). These gifts, Mishloach Manot, are traditionally sent by a friendly messenger (kids like to get dressed up and deliver the gifts).

It is also customary to give (or set aside) charity to give to at least two poor groups or causes on Purim day.

The Official Cookie of Purim is Hamentashen

Hamantashen and it is made out of plain cookie dough with a dot of jam or jelly in its center and it is folded into a triangle and then baked. The cookie is shaped like a triangle to resemble the villain in the Jewish story of Purim, Haman's hat.