Celebrating freedom to be Jewish

Students of the Temple Bat Yahm Hebrew School were treated to a carnival Sunday in honor of the upcoming Jewish holiday Purim.

Purim commemorates the death of Haman, an ancient Persian prime minister who was planning to kill and exile Persian Jews, said Rabbi Teri Appleby.

The Persian king’s new wife Esther was Jewish, but Jews had to hide their beliefs because of Haman’s persecution.

Esther told her husband her secret and he had Haman and his 10 evil sons killed, allowing Jews to worship as they chose.

“It’s celebrating the ability to be free and be Jewish openly,” Rabbi Appleby said, adorned in a costume of Haman down to the mustache and three-cornered hat.

The temple brought out a full-blown carnival with inflatable obstacle courses and pony rides for the kids and barbecue kebabs and burgers for the parents.

The Newport Beach Fire Department brought out a fire engine for the children to explore in between games and contests.

There are a number of ways Jews celebrate Purim, which begins Thursday night.

Rabbi Appleby said the holiday is traditionally celebrated by reading the story of Esther, donating to charity and a big feast.

Children often wear costumes and masks to represent Jews who had to hide their identities in Persia.

The story is often acted out as it’s read, Rabbi Appleby said.

“All the kids ‘boo’ Haman,” Appleby said.

Purim is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the death of Haman, a prime minister of ancient Persia who persecuted Persian Jews. Haman was killed after it was revealed to the Persian king that the king’s new bride, Esther, was Jewish.