Hillsdale Chavurah held its first official event, a Purim Party, on March 7. The event, which had at least 60 attendees, was held in Campbell A and B of the Dow Center.
Purim commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people from genocide at the hands of Haman, a Persian nobleman who had conspired against them.
Sophomore Ben Hindle, vice president of the newly established club for Jewish people on campus, opened the event at 8 p.m. with a brief presentation about the history of Purim.
Next, members of Hillsdale Chavurah read aloud and re-enacted the megillah, the biblical story of Esther. In keeping with Jewish tradition, the audience jeered every time Haman’s name was read aloud.
Following another tradition, attendees threw candy at Haman, played by freshman Marshall Gobba.
“I love playing the bad guy,” Gobba said
Finally, sophomore treasurer Abby Schultz led a game of Torah Trivia, with questions about Jewish faith and tradition.
The party also had traditional food, including challah (traditional Jewish bread) and hamentaschen (fruit-filled cookies served on Purim). Freshman Ayla Meyer, the club’s president, said the triangular shape of hamentaschen commemorates Haman’s three-cornered hat.
“Purim is a humorous holiday, and a fun holiday,” Meyer said.
The name Purim comes from the word “pur,” meaning “lots,” because Haman “cast lots” to destroy the Jews.
“We tried to replicate a traditional megillah service you’d find in a synagogue,” Hindle said.
