Purim celebrations amid the Coronavirus outbreak teach kids how to face a crisis

A girl reads from the Megillah, or scroll of Esther, at the Jewish Community Project’s downtown location in Manhattan on March 9. Photo by Caroline Wambui.

NEW YORK — As warnings mounted that New Yorkers should avoid public gatherings, almost every seat was filled at the children’s performance celebrating Purim at a Jewish center in downtown Manhattan Mar. 9.

“We have made the decision that within our community we feel a relative degree of safety,” said Rabbi Andy Bachman, executive director of the Jewish Community Project Downtown. “And we felt that it was absolutely important that we gather and celebrate, and I cannot think of a better way to face a small crisis than by telling the story of how we overcame an even bigger crisis.”

Purim, on Mar. 9-10 this year, commemorates how the Jewish Persian Queen Esther rescued the Jewish people from genocide in 5th century Persia. It’s sometimes called the Jewish Halloween because kids and adults dress up in costumes. They also exchange food and read from the Megillah, which contains the story of Esther.

Speaking to about two dozen attendees, Bachman said that many other Purim events in the area were cancelled. The state’s governor declared a state of emergency two days earlier as new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the New York area. As of Tuesday, the state had confirmed 173 cases.

“It is sad that religious practices too can be cancelled, and so when I learnt about this event, I had to come in support,” said one attendee.

Their sense of safety was due to no cases being reported in the local Jewish community, according to Rabbi Deena Gottlieb. The center’s school was still open so the kids’ celebration wasn’t cancelled although some parents did not show up.

“This day puts a highlight on human activities and using what we have to make our world a better place.”

With only very few reports of children infected by the virus, children played and cheered those reciting and reading the Megillah.

“Hoping for the best and expecting the worst, it’s life and life has to go on,” said Bachman, explaining that this is just a phase of life and it will pass. “We will make it through.”

The rabbi said that there is nothing we can do, as long as we do what we need to do, like refrain from shaking hands, wash them and use sanitizers. The people should continue living their lives, he said, and stay positive.

In the book of Esther, God is not mentioned. “This day puts a highlight on human activities and using what we have to make our world a better place,” Gottlieb said.

“I am glad my kids and I attended the Purim,” Gottlieb said. “Personally, I feel encouraged every time I read the story of Queen Esther. It reminds me that I must do what is in my ability to make my community a better place. Queen Esther is a good example I would want my children to learn from and having them here tonight creates the platform for them.”

Carol Wambui is an Arne Fjeldstad scholar studying at The King’s College NYCJ program in spring 2020 and studying journalism at the Multimedia University of Kenya in Nairobi, where she is from. She is interning at Religion Unplugged. Previously, she served as a volunteer for the Harvest Family Church Media Department.