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Purim 5782 -  This Year's Schedule 

PURIM 5782 SCHEDULE

3/16: Wednesday - Ta’anit Esther
6:00 AM - Fast begins
6:30 AM - Shacharit
6:00 PM - Purim Program for Families with young children (selected readings from the Megillah, booing Haman, Costume Contest, Candy Bags and Music) - in parking lot
6:45 PM: Mincha
7:15 PM: Kids Costume contest and Purim Fun (candy bags, costume contests and music followed by full readings at 7:55 PM) - In parking lot
7:40 PM: Maariv
7:55 PM: Megillah reading
Community Ashkenazi Megillah Reading - Epstein Sanctuary 
Brodie Zoom Room (www.bethsholom.org/zoom)
Women’s Megilah Reading (for women only). Herschel Hallwww.bethsholom.org/zoom2
Sephardic - Bobrow Chapel
Outside Community Ashkenazi Reading - in parking lot. Weather dependent (If no outside reading, we will have a second inside reading which will be more family friendly)
Teens - Abramson Social Hall
7:56 PM Fast Ends 
9:15 PM Late megillah reading (Epstein)

3/17: Thursday - Purim Day
6:30 AM - Minyan with megilah reading approximately 7:00 AM
9:00 AM  - Second minyan
Approximately 9:30 AM  - Two readings - Standard in Epstein and Women Megillah Reading in Herschel 
4:00 PM - Early Mincha
4 - 7 PM - Purim BBQ seudah!
6:55 PM - Mincha/Maariv

LAWS AND CUSTOMS OF PURIM 5782

Friends,
This guide is a general overview of the Laws and Customs of Purim. Last year, we put together a special Purim Guide to help members navigate Purim during Covid. While, Boruch Hashem, we are emerging from the pandemic and parts of this guide will not be as relevant to everyone, we are still including the special “covid halachot” as we still have members who are not able to experience all of Purim in person. As always, if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to reach out to the rabbis at clergy@bethsholom.org

Thanks and Purim Samech!
Rabbi Antine & Rabbi Cooper

Parshat Zakhor (Shabbat March 12)
The Shabbat before Purim is called Shabbat Zachor. We have a special Torah Reading which recounts the Mitzvah of wiping out the memory of Amalek (Haman was a descendent of Amalek).  This Mitzvah (to hear the parshah of Amalek) is considered by many halachic authorities to be a Biblical Mitzvah. 

The ideal way to fulfill this Mitzvah is in shul on shabbat morning. For those who cannot be present, here are the ways to fulfill the mitzvah, listed in order of Halachic priority.  Please choose the option that you are comfortable with given your level of risk to exposure and your general practice with how much exposure you have had to groups of people:
On Shabbat morning, Parshat Zachor will be read in all Beth Sholom minyanim.
We will also have a reading of Zachor in the parking lot/atrium door (this will allow you to stand outside if you prefer) at approx 11 am and right before mincha at 5:40 PM (Mincha will be at 5:55 PM). These readings will allow you to hear it in person without having to be together with a minyan for the entire service. 
If one is uncomfortable coming to an in-person reading they should read the Parshat Zachor section from a chumash at home (Devarim, chapter 25 verses 17-9 - Page 1066 in Artscroll Chumash) 


Taanit Esther (Wednesday, March 16)
Fast Begins - 6:00 AM
Fast ends - 7:56 PM
One should ideally not break their fast until after the Megillah is read. If they are not feeling well then a little snack could be consumed before the reading of the megillah. 
Taanit Esther is considered a minor fast and anyone who is sick is allowed to eat and drink. 

Mahatzit Hashekel – Half-Shekel
It is customary in the month of Adar to give a “half-shekel” as a remembrance of the head-tax in Temple times which was collected in order to have new funds for communal sacrifices for the new Temple fiscal-year which began the following month in Nisan. The customary time to collect this money is prior to Mincha on the day before Purim or on Purim morning. At shul, you will find a bundle of three half-dollars which represent the half shekels enabling everyone to fulfill the custom. 
Those unable to attend shul in person can participate in this custom from home. Set aside three half-dollars to charity while saying “Zecher l’machazit ha-shekel – to remember the mitzvah of giving half a shekel.”

Reading the Megillah

All Jewish adults, men and women, are obligated to read or hear Megillat Esther at night and again in the daytime. 

We will have multiple readings on Wednesday night at 7:55 pm (Maariv will be at 7:40 PM). The Thursday morning readings will be at approximately 7:00 am (as part of 6:30 am minyan) and at 9:30 am (as part of the 9 am minyan). 

While it is halachically preferable to hear the megillah in person, those who are unable to hear the Megillah in person may fulfill their obligation by listening over zoom. Our community ashkenazi reading (for men and women) will be in the Brodie Zoom Room (www.bethsholom.org/zoom) and the women’s reading will be at www.bethsholom.org/zoom2

If you own your own megillah scroll and do not know how to read megillah for yourself, you can chant along with a recording of megillat Esther and fulfill your obligation in that way. 

Matanot Laevyonim – Gifts to the Poor
This year we are partnering with Yad Yehuda to provide Purim Tzedaka to local people in need. This will enable those in our community who are struggling to enjoy Purim this year and have a wonderful seudah! Here is the link to donate 
https://www.yadyehuda.org/#/


Mishloach Manot – Sending (food) Parcels
The primary mitzvah is to give two ready to eat items to one person. We know that many people go all out on this mitzvah on regular years. For this year, lets keep in mind that we still have many members of our community who are not really going out and we want to encourage you to think especially of people who might benefit from the Purim cheer. 

We will be organizing a Purim Mishloach Manot exchange…..

Se’udah – Festive Meal
Beth Sholom will have a Seudah/BBQ in the parking lot from 4 - 7 pm! We will have inflatables for kids and L’chaim’s for adults! Plus singing and music and a BBQ!

Tue, March 19 2024 9 Adar II 5784