Purim in Daugavpils – Returning of the Tradition

On the 11^th of March, 2012 (the year 5772, according to the Jewish calendar) in Daugavpils, Latvia, the first vernal, most cheerful and colourful Jewish holiday of Purim has taken place. This event was significant this year thanks to the revival of the tradition in Daugavpils to celebrate the holiday of Purim with a performance and carnival.

The large hall of the hotel "Latgola" has been overcrowded. Purim is a Jewish holiday and at the hall there were mostly representatives of the Jewish population of the city, but, along with them there were also people of other nationalities. Visitors from other cities of Latvia: Riga, Ogre, Kraslava, Rezekne and other countries: Lithuania, the USA, also have arrived for the holiday.

With a speech of welcome and congratulations on the holiday Stanislav Zlobin, the pastor of Daugavpils Evangelical Christian church «God’s Covenant», one of initiators of the revival and organization of the Jewish holidays at a wider level in the city, has spoken.

Raisa Abramovna Ustinskova, the trustee of Daugavpils Jewish community, has told about the history of the holiday, its precepts and traditions.

This Purim was special for the Jews of the city also because after a 25-year break Purim Spiel (the dramatized performance) - an integral part of the holiday of Purim narrating about a wonderful rescue of the Jews from extermination in Ancient Persia, thanks to wisdom of Mordechai, the leader of Jews, and courage of Esther, was shown. Purim Spiel was real. With costumes, decors, appropriate make-up for actors and requisites. All of it precisely transferred the events of that time.

The spectators at the hall watched the performance with kindness, interest and attention. Some of them heard about the history of the holiday of Purim for the first time today.  The history of the rescue of the Jews from extermination in Persia is known not for everyone. Amateur actors played so pathetically that many spectators had tears in their eyes.

Musical compositions of klezmer chapel, vocal ensembles, the adult "Mazel Tov" and children's "Faerleh", under the direction of the composer, the musician and conductor Grigory Kagan, and dancing ensembles "Aviva" and "Halom" - head Dmitry Morderer from Daugavpils Jewish community, have complemented the performance, underlined the importance of particular moments and allowed to feel the link with the historical past.

But on the scene, following the historical narration, came the carnival - also an integral part of the holiday of Purim. Purim carnival drew in the actors who have put on masks and turned at once into carnival characters, spectators in the hall, and visitors. All the people in the hall danced accompanied by the cheerful Jewish melodies. Everyone at this day was united by the holiday of Purim. Unusual atmosphere reigned in the hall: congratulations, flowers, smiles, friendly embraces, wishes of the further meetings and holidays.

But the holiday did not end on that. There were so many Purim suits and masks that it was simply necessary to hold the competition of carnival suits. And it was organized; none of the participants in the carnival suit remained without a prize.

The Jewish wise men say: “While Jews are united, no enemy can destroy them. Every generation of Jews should strengthen their unity to overcome the enemies”. Therefore in Purim, Jews say: “We send fruits and gifts to increase mutual love which protects us during all the year, and thanks to that, no enemy will have the power over Israel!”. Therefore, our holiday also came to the end with a delivery of gifts!

The holiday has come to the end, but it seems that it will remain in our hearts for a long time because empathizing, rejoicing and having fun we have also a sense of responsibility to each other. In such a friendly atmosphere there is a certain unity which should be protected and developed.

Alla Terehova - the director of the performance of Purim Spiel.