Over 5,000 children and parents celebrated Purim at JFuture schools

Over 5,000 children and parents dressed in carnival costumes gathered to celebrate the joyful holiday of Purim at the Jewish schools of the JFuture international educational platform — a flagship project of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress.

While reading and discussing the Book of Esther remained a strict tradition at every JFuture school, other celebrations varied: children prepared and performed a theatrical production titled "Morning Ahasuerus," staged a holiday-themed paper puppet show, baked traditional hamantaschen cookies, decorated carnival masks, and visited the city circus.

JFuture coordinators and animators engaged the children in Purim-themed quests featuring educational tasks and puzzles. The exciting adventure was followed by a festive meal. To mark the occasion, children also presented gifts to the elderly members of their local Jewish communities.

The JFuture platform establishes schools within community centers, offering weekly Sunday programs for children and parents in Baku (Azerbaijan), Babruysk and Minsk (Belarus), Tbilisi (Georgia), Mumbai (India), Tomsk (Russia), Chisinau (Moldova), Tokyo (Japan), Almaty (Kazakhstan), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Podgorica (Montenegro), Bukhara (Uzbekistan), and Chernivtsi (Ukraine).

Chana from Tokyo: “An outstanding program! We set up 20 activity stations featuring various contests, crafts, a photo booth, and gifts.”

Eleonora from Kyiv: “Our Purim celebrations spanned three days. We invited the older generation, and the children exchanged traditional gifts with their grandparents. The elders taught the children to dance to Yiddish songs performed by a live musical ensemble. The following day, we read the Megillah and hosted a children's carnival, and on the third day, children and parents celebrated Purim together.”

Chaya from Mumbai: “Thanks to the Purim event, we welcomed three new participants! The joint program for children and parents featured a story session led by the Rabbanit, historical reenactments, and workshops on making masks and traditional hamantaschen. Afterwards, the children exchanged Mishloach Manot gifts. It was highly successful and well-received.”

Chana from Odesa: “We welcomed 120 children to our Purim celebrations while their parents attended a lecture titled 'Esther in Modern Times.' Following the Megillah reading at the synagogue, the children enjoyed an entertainment program. The next day, we organized themed workshops where the children crafted plasticine clowns, participated in competitions, and completed a multi-station quest. A truly festive atmosphere was enjoyed by all.”