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Purim at Beth El is a joyful celebration. Our Purim activities include our very popular Nitzanim Purim Spiel and our annual “Megillah Madness” celebration — which was even once mentioned on an episode of the hit television show The West Wing.
Purim Celebration. Join the Beth El community for a crazy night of Purim celebration!
4:30 pm: Bit O’Megillah. The afternoon begins with our fan-favorite Bit O’Megillah, a fun telling of the story of Purim appropriate for families with young children in preschool and kindergarten (siblings welcome).
5:15 pm: Annual Purim Carnival. There will be plenty of fun and games for families with children ages 12 and under. Dinner will be available for all families registered to attend the carnival; the cost is $18 for Beth El families and $24 for non-member families. Click here to RSVP for dinner.
7:00 pm: Megillah Madness: Keys to the Kingdom. Join us for Megillah Madness, our ever-popular Purim shpiel! This year’s theme is Keys to the Kingdom: A Grand Tribute. This year we will feature singer-songwriters who use piano as their primary instrument. We will share songs – with a fun Purim twist – from Taylor Swift, Alicia Keys, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder, Sarah Bareilles, Lady Gaga, and Israeli superstar Idan Raichel.
8:30 pm: Ma’ariv, Havdalah, and The Whole Megillah. Join us in the Swoff Chapel as Minyan Chaverim leads Ma’ariv, Havdalah, and The Whole Megillah. This freilach and communal service is led by knowledgeable readers who like to bring some zaniness to the Megillah experience by adding character voices and other inventions to the reading. Everyone is invited to join in the fun.
9:00 am: Morning Minyan with Megillah Reading. Morning minyan on Sunday, March 24, will also include a full reading of the Megillah. It has been a tradition at Beth El for many years to wear a silly hat to the service on Purim morning. Because the minyan includes the Megillah reading, it will be a slightly longer minyan, approximately one and a half hours.
Below are a selection of program guides from past Megillah Madness celebrations. Click on each link to open a PDF in a new window.
