Of all of the Jewish holidays, I think Purim might be the hardest to celebrate during a pandemic. This year, there will be no Purim carnivals, costume contests, or large megillah readings. Instead, most people will be celebrating with their immediate family if they are quarantining at home.
To help you celebrate, I have compiled a list of some fun Purim activities to do with your family as well as a list of ways to learn about Persian Jews.
Learn About Persian Jews!
Learn about the music of the Jews of Shiraz and listen to the Shirazi melody for the Ashrei
Hear about ancient Persian Jewish history from Dr. Henry Abramson, an expert in Jewish history.
Explore Diarna’s map of Jewish landmarks in Iran.
Read about Judeo-Persian from Encyclopaedia Iranica. For Hebrew speakers, the Mother Tongue Project has a variety of interviews in Judeo-Persian and Hebrew.
Try some delicious Jewish Persian food from OneTable!
Celebrate at home!
Make some fancy mocktails from the New York Times!
Choose one of many Purim playlists on Spotify and have a dance party!
Go to the Jewish Women’s Archive to learn about some awesome Jewish women!
Make some traditional Purim foods! Experiment with different hamantaschen recipes or try other Purim recipes from Jews across the world! Websites like Aish.com, Jewish Journal, and The Forward have a ton of recipes!
Have everyone wear costumes and make a Purim Parade in your house!
Attend services at a synagogue in a different city or a different country!
Leah Seidman is a senior at Highland Park High School and a 2021 18 Under 18 Honoree. She is a board member at large on the BEANS USY Board and an alumna of Diller Chicago Cohort 6 and RTI Cohort 4. Leah loves teaching other teens about Jewish texts, history, and culture and hopes to be a professional Jewish educator.