Purim’s Sweet Revenge

For all its mirth and merriment, the lightness of Purim, practically speaking, has probably a lot to do with the fact this holiday—unlike most others—is a one-day affair. Purim commemorates the classic story of good over evil, the meek over the mighty. So does Passover. But then that’s eight days long.

And yet, this year, I actually wished for another seven days of Purim. Because this year we happen to be in Florida, and the dilemma of the day was, which of the approximately 100 Chabad Centers statewide that would be making merry, would we celebrate with?  As we drove along the I-95 on Sunday afternoon, we had to resist the temptation to get off at just about every exit along the way, and check out Chabad's Purim shindies in Ft. Lauderdale, in Boca Raton, in Coconut Creek, in Pompano Beach . . .

We spent Shabbos in Aventura, and joined Rabbi Mendel and Raizel Rosenfeld for services. Barely a year and half since they arrived, the Rosenfelds are fast outgrowing the space at the Courtyard Marriott and other local venues that they rent for their community programs.

Just like the Ciments of Boynton Beach did.

On Purim afternoon, we drove out to Rabbi Sholom and Dini Ciment’s show. Chabad Shluchim to an area that was not even developed when they arrived a decade ago, the main hall of the stunning Chabad Center was spilling over with more than 300 community members and an ambience of warmth, Jewish pride and community involvement. An elegant Purim dinner followed by an auction of artworks by local artists, and a Purim production staged by community members to melodies from Fiddler on the Roof, illuminated a miracle in our own day, a beautiful sequel to the Purim story about the near annihilation of the Jewish People: Here, in Boynton Beach, and in all the other places off the I-95 along the coast and beyond, are vibrant Jewish communities where none existed before.