PJ Library Grandparents: Celebrating Purim

One of the beautiful things about the Jewish calendar is that it provides regular opportunities to connect around a shared experience. Purim is coming up on Saturday, March 23^rd (starts sundown that night), and Jewish families all over will don costumes, share gifts of food, donate to those in need and listen to the Megillah (the Book of Esther, which tells the story of Purim).

We hope that these ideas and events will help you share the joy of Judaism with your grandchild(ren).

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Tips for Connecting Around Purim
Purim Events
Purim Resources
Celebrating Purim in 2024—Some Thoughts

Tips for Connecting Around Purim

Did you grow up dressing up for Purim and listening to the Megillah being read in synagogue? Share the memory (and maybe a photo?) with your grandchildren.
Share stories of other brave women, past and present, with this list of “shero” suggestions compiled for Washington Parent. Who would you add? Do you have family stories to share, too?
Put together a mishloach manot (food gifts to friends) care package to send. It could include hamantaschen or other baked goods, snacks, and maybe a noisemaker to use during the telling of the Purim story (a reading of the megillah) to drown out Haman’s name.
When Esther is faced with a dilemma—how to save the Jews from the evil scheme of the king’s advisor Haman—she summons her courage and wisdom and saves the day. She’s a role model for unmasking our true potential and being brave, even when the odds are against us, and it can be scary. Can you share a time when you were scared to act or speak up and what you did about it? Start a conversation about how even grown-ups can get scared and your suggestions for what to do.
Bake hamantaschen (filled triangular cookies) together in person or via video chat (e.g. Skype, FaceTime or Zoom). Here are some easy recipes if you don’t already have a family favorite. If allergies are a concern, here’s a dairy and egg-free version.
One of the four mitzvot (commandments) of Purim is to give to those in need. Volunteer together or offer to match a donation your grandchild makes to double the impact for an organization that addresses food insecurity, homelessness or other social services. This can continue or initiate a family tradition of creating a family tradition of matanot l’evyonim, the Purim mitzvah (commandment) to give gifts to those in need.
Share a kid-friendly version of the Purim story through this PJ Library podcast.
A seudah, or festive meal, is one of he four mitzvot (commandments) of Purim. Have a “Triangle Dinner” of triangular foods (pizza, quiche, Popcorners, hamantashen, anything cut into triangles) to celebrate Purim together.
Check out the Jewish Grandparents Network’s Purim Discovery Kit for an interactive guide with downloadable pages.

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purim hamantaschen

Purim Resources

PJ Library’s Purim Holiday Hub
An Insider’s Guide to Observing Purim | Jewish Grandparents Network
Purim Activities to Do With Your Grandchildren Ages 3–8 | Jewish Grandparents Network
Purim Ideas on Pinterest
Purim Books from PJ Library

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Celebrating Purim in 2024—some thoughts

In this time of rising antisemitism and the ongoing war in Israel, can we celebrate and be joyous while there is still so much suffering? Does it feel tone-deaf and out of touch?

As I was thinking about this, I remembered the story of Purim, how Queen Esther and her uncle Mordechai saved the Jewish people in Persia from the diabolical plan of Haman. And how, after King Achashverosh gave them permission to fight back, the Jews successfully saved themselves and celebrated – and have celebrated every year since.

The words themselves are: “And Mordechai wrote down these things and sent missives to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Achashverosh — near and far — to inform them that every year henceforth, they should make the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar days of banqueting and rejoicing, and sending portions of food to each other and gifts to the poor…” (Book of Esther, Chapter 9, verses 20-22).

This is the crux of the resilience and continuity of the Jewish people: being brave, staying true to our values, rejoicing, retelling our stories with the next generation, and sharing the joy with others. That a mitzvah (commandment, or good deed) is built into the Megillat Esther (the scroll of the Book of Esther read on Purim) to give gifts to the poor makes perfect sense. We can only be truly happy when we add to someone else’s celebration, too.

On Purim this year, you can share this story of bravery and paying it forward with your grandchildren. As Jews, we can hold both the sadness and the happiness at the same time. For ideas to celebrate meaningfully and joyfully with your family, please check out our growing list of suggestions.

Purim starts Saturday, March 23^rd at sundown.

Chag Purim Sameach (Happy Purim Holiday)!
Sarah