With Purim falling on Sunday March 20^th this program makes the perfect weekend event for the entire family,” says Rabbi Benjy Brackman of Chabad of NW Metro Denver. “Families can tour this world-class Aquarium before or after the Purim party, enjoy a delicious Purim feast that includes kosher seafood, hear the megila with a special children’s slide show presentation, masquerade in their favorite costume and enjoy the party fun”, concludes Brackman.

The Purim party is from 3:30 pm – 5:15 pm. Special pricing is available for children who have been enrolled at Chabad Hebrew School or at Camp Gan Israel of the Rockies. Parents can also find discounts at MazelTot.org. The admission fee includes the Aquarium exhibit which can be visited before or after the Purim party.

Party Includes:

• Feast on delicious kosher sea food
• Masquerade with prizes for children and adults
• Multi-Media megilah reading
• Festive music
• Loads of fun games

Admission (includes Aquarium exhibit) Adult $18 · Child $15

For more information please call 303.429.5177 or visit www.theChabadHouse.com

1.     Denver- Retro Purim at the Curtis Hotel

Spending spring break in Denver or Boulder?  Don’t miss Chabad’s hip, funky, retro-themed hotel party.  The evening will include a full Megillah reading at 8:00 p.m., followed by a live Klezmer quartet, drinks of all types, Purim treats and board games.  The event is located at 1405 Curtis Street in Denver.

2.     Vail- Purim Brewery

Spending Purim on the slopes? Don’t miss a selection of Colorado Mountain Brewery’s unique and handcrafted beers. Enjoy a night of L’chaims you don’t want to miss. Also enjoy a selection of desserts and crafts. The event is located on 1000 Lionridge Loop in Vail.

3.     California- Purim Party with West Coast Chabad on Campus

Heading West? Don’t miss seven campus Chabad’s joint Purim party! Don’t miss this mega Purim party! The event is at Chabad of Westwood, 741 Gayley Avenue in Los Angeles! It starts at 9:00 p.m.

4.     New York- Purim in Hawaii

Heading East?  Don’t miss a hula and hora night in New York.  Enjoy exotic hair braiding, tropical fruit smoothies and a masquerade with prizes.  The festivities start at 8:00 at 37 West 65^th Street, 5^th floor.

5. Cancun- Purim in the Circus

Spending Purim in Cancun? Don’t miss Purim in the Circus. This event takes place on Sunday, March 20 in the B2B Hotel, Grand Party Room. Don’t miss a 4:00 p.m. Megillah reading, followed by a circus show and feast to follow. $50 Peso per person.

Purim starts Saturday, March 19. For more Purim parties, visit http://www.jewishspringbreak.com.

How did you decide to become a zoologist?
That’s what I was born to be.  When I was a toddler, a garden spider made her web over the outside of my bedroom window and a praying mantis lived on the bush below.  I used to catch grasshoppers to feed to them (which gave my father nightmares).  A turtle moved into my sandbox.  I would pick up snails and they would come out of their shell instead of going in.  Since then, I really haven’t been more interested in anything else.  As I got older, I found that many people with exotic pets were accidentally mistreating their animals.  So I have carved out a niche where I teach people about their exotic pets, parrots in particular, and hopefully improve the lives of both parrots and owners.

I understand you have authored a few books, what are they about?
I have written books about parrots, for parrot owners.  These are:  The Second-hand Parrot, The African Grey Parrot Handbook, and Guide to the Senegal Parrot and its family.  These are great books for people who own parrots.   I find the book writing process to be very intense.

What will you be doing at the Purim with a touch of Africa show at the Jewish Enrichment Center?
I have animals that are used to traveling around and meeting new people.  I will have time to introduce a couple of them and tell a little about them.  Then, I think , people can come by and visit them and handle them  and ask more questions.  George is the “star” of the show.  He is a sulcata tortoise, which just happen to be native to Africa.  Everybody loves George.  He even has his own Facebook page. I also have a Boa constrictor, a macaw, and an amazon parrot.  I will also try to bring some kind of African parrot, to go along with the theme. My amazon parrot can fly around the room as part of the program.

We hear you have a Jewish connection?
My great grandfather, Dirk, was a Christian and married  Rosa, a Jewish girl.  They lived in Holland and had 12 children.  But things were getting really bad for Jews in Holland at this time (Hitler was a young boy and heavily influenced by the popular opinions of the time).  And the mixed marriage was very unpopular.  So they packed up their children and took a long, horrible boat ride to the United States of America.  They became farmers in North Dakota.  Although where they settled was mainly a Christian community, and the generations since have been raised as Christian, we keep the stories of our heritage.  I wish I knew more about Jewish traditions and religion.  My children and I are very excited to make more Jewish friends!

Come meet the Amazon parrot and George at the Purim in Africa party at the Jewish Enrichment Center 4740 Table Mesa Drive Suite B at 4 pm this Sunday, March 20.  Reserve now at www.chabadofboulder.com.

Tzohar to Hold Purim Celebrations in over 100 Locations across Israel

(March 8, 2011 JERUSALEM) As Israel’s leading organization working to bridge the gap between the religious and secular communities, Tzohar will be hosting Megillah readings and Purim celebrations in more than 100 locations throughout the country.

Enjoying the megillah reading in Gedera. Photo courtesy Tzohar

All Israelis love the fun costumes and the traditional Purim partying” says Nachman Rosenberg, Executive Vice President for Tzohar. “Our programs aim to enrich the celebrations with meaningful Jewish values and show how Jewish Identity can become a source of national unity rather than separation. ”

Approximately 200,000 participants will be provided with a special Megillat Esther including the traditional text, pictures and explanations of the story of Purim and where the specific practices of the holiday, including giving charity and sending food baskets, come from. Some readings even get theatrical, like the one organized by Steve Schwartz of Ginot Shomron, where acting and costumes are used to convey the Purim stories to those who might have limited familiarity with Jewish observance.

The Tzohar readings primarily take place in community centers or school gyms rather than synagogues to make it a more open and welcoming environment for the whole community. “Having it in a neutral place makes it a lot more comfortable for those who typically do not join religious services,” said Schwartz, formerly of Brooklyn, New York.

Participants from all spectrums of the religious rainbow join in Tzohar’s megillah reading (also in Gedera). Photo courtesy of Tzohar

Our goal is to help secular Israelis feel less alienated when it comes to Jewish practice and show them that there are many ways to embrace tradition and become involved with one’s Judaism,” said Rabbi David Stav, Chairman of Tzohar. “Purim, which has a social aspect on top of its religiosity, is the ideal time to spread that message.”

The “Together for Purim” program was inspired by Tzohar’s “Praying Together” Yom Kippur program which has been taking place for over 10 years and grows by thousands of participants each year.

Israelis welcome a refreshing opportunity to embrace their Jewish Identity in a way that is not coercive or forceful” Rosenberg says. “Programs such as this promote Jewish unity, a national value that is deeply existential in our eyes”.

TZOHAR (www.tzohar.org.il) is an organization comprised of over 1,000 Religious Zionist volunteer rabbis and educators working towards promoting and enhancing Unity and Jewish identity in the State of Israel.

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Tuesday, March 15, 5:30 – 6:30 pm at the Louisville Rec Center (900 Via Appia). $10 per family

Questions? Contact Beth Litz at beth@boulderjcc.org, or 720-364-1812. RSVP’s are appreciated, but not required.

Making use of most of the Boulder JCC, costumed kids of all ages (really all ages) enjoyed food, games, bouncing, and of course prizes. And this is just the beginning of a week’s worth of events throughout town. Check out the Purim page for more info and enjoy the pix!

Jon Crowder

Get ready to bang away with spunky Jon Crowder of Peak Rhythms – and meet him at an upcoming Purim party.

What attracted you to doing drum circles?

I’m proud to say that I’ve been in recovery now for about 15 years from practicing law and haven’t relapsed.  In 1996, I moved to CO from FL and took a break from being a lawyer.  I’ve always loved music and play the guitar, piano, sing, etc…  I stumbled into a drum circle about 12 years ago.  I was wide-eyed and clueless, but it connected.  So, I bought a drum plus some instruments and started doing community drum circles.  It worked.  People loved it.  I started Peak Rhythms in 2003, kept learning, working with different groups, and now have about 150 drums plus loads of percussion instruments.  It is my full time job.  I work with conferences/keynotes, spiritual groups/retreats, schools, sports teams, and organizations.  The most important and magical thing for me is how powerfully and consistently the process connects people at a heart level.

Is there an art to drum circles or is it just a show?

Definitely more art than show.  People want to connect with themselves and others in a real, authentic, and fun way.  The art comes in adapting the metaphors and activities to each group plus being in the moment to facilitate people in a way that creates a safe space for them to have fun, be themselves, and connect with each other in a spirit of community.

What do you plan to do at the Purim party at Chabad of Boulder?

I’ll have drums and instruments for everybody.  We’ll all play music, sing, and more.  No experience is necessary.  Of course, you’re welcome to bring any instruments you’d like to play and share in the circle, just maybe not an electric guitar or full drum set.

What draws you to Boulder?

I’m drawn to Boulder for its cheap housing costs and low taxes.  Seriously, I love the mountains, nature, diverse/great/active people, and all of the musical/spiritual/intellectual opportunities.  What’s not to like?

Drum with Jon at Purim with a Taste of Africa on March 20 at 4 pm at the Jewish Enrichment Center, 4740 Table Mesa Drive Suite B, Boulder.  Enjoy a feast, Purim drum café, parrot show and an honest to goodness Purim Party. Click here for more information and click here to register. Sponsored by Chabad of Boulder County.