Surrounded by children in costume, Rabbi Peretz Greenwald reads the Story of Esther during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Shoshana Topps listens to The Story of Esther during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Students dressed in costumes read The Story of Esther during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Rabbi Peretz Greenwald reads the Story of Esther during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A student holds on to a grogger, a traditional Purim noisemaker, as he reads The Story of Esther during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Students listen to The Story of Esther during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Students dance during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Yasef Gurary is dressed as a rabbi during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Rabbi Yitzhak Newman pauses for a picture with his grandson, Jacob Newman during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Nava Shapiro dons a colorful hat during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Hamantaschen, a shortbread-like cookie filled with jam that are traditionally served around the Jewish holiday of Purim during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Chezky Paltiel, dressed as Mario, spins a noisemaker called a grogger as Rabbi Peretz Greenwald reads The Story of Esther during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Students dance during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Isaac Slavin leads a group of students as they dance during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Sholom Newman is all smiles as he spins a noisemaker called a grogger as Rabbi Peretz Greenwald reads The Story of Esther during The Hebrew Academy’s annual Purim Festival in Huntington Beach, CA, on Thursday, March 17, 2022. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Purim is a time of feasting and rejoicing and the students of The Hebrew Academy in Huntington Beach were happy to celebrate on Thursday, March 17.
Wearing costumes ranging from an astronaut to a Dodger – as is a custom during the festive Jewish holiday to represent that some miracles are disguised – the students played with noisemakers, snacked on traditional treats and listened as Rabbi Peretz Greenwald read the Story of Esther, the wife of a Persian king, who was Jewish and who helped foil the plans of the king’s advisor intent on destroying the Jewish community.
The students also danced and did crafts.
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