“…And these days are commemorated and celebrated in every generation, by every family, in every province and every city. And there days of Purim will never pass from among the Jews nor shall their memory depart from their descendants”
Megillah, Ch. 10 v 28
Kehillat Kernow stalwarts – all in various variations of fancy dress – gathered online on Monday 2nd March to listen to and read the Megillah and tell the story of Esther and Mordechai how they helped save the Jews from the evil plans of Haman. Paul Kleiman and Adam Feldman chanted sections from the Megillah in Hebrew which was shared onscreen and the whole Megillah was read in English organised by Jo Richler with the chapters shared out among the participants. As collective sounds are not possible on Zoom as only one voice at a time is allowed, Jo and Paul managed to provide an online soundrack of appropriate cheering and booing sounds (though not always in the right order or at the appropriate moment!).
We were particularly pleased and honoured to be joined by Elkan Levy from Israel, as – due to the situation there – the synagogues were closed for Purim. The fact that we were reading the story of Esther, Mordechai and Haman and the plot to exterminate the Jews at this difficult time was not lost on anyone.