Purim Cultures from Around the World

Around the world, it is estimated that there are approximately 15.2 million Jewish people. While citizens of Israel and the United States make up the vast majority of this population (12.9 million, 84.9%), more than two million Jews live spread across many other countries around the world today. France, Canada, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Russia, Germany, Australia, and Brazil contain significant Jewish populations within their countries. Across these several countries, Jewish people identify themselves among three distinguished groups of descent: Ashkenazi, Mizrahi, and Sephardi. Ashkenazi Jews are those whose Jewish ancestors traveled North during the time of their exile. They found themselves settled in France, Germany, and other parts of Eastern Europe. The majority of today’s Jewish population is made up of Ashkenazi Jews. Their existence accounts for ten million members of the Jewish population. That is almost seventy percent of all Jews! Next, Mizrahi Jews identify as Jewish people from the descent of exiled Jews who landed themselves not far from Israel. Their main presence remains in Southwest Asia and parts of Northern Africa as well. Their residence accounts for about five million Jews worldwide. Fun fact, almost half of the Jewish people of Israel identify as Mizrahi Jews! Lastly, Sephardi Jews are recognized as the descendants of Jewish migrants who resided in present-day Spain and Portugal. However, this group was forced into exile again during the Spanish Inquisition in order to keep their religious beliefs in practice. Those who were able to persist through the harsh treatment found their new homes in North Africa, Southern Europe, and Western Asia too. Their population currently includes only nine-hundred thousand people (World Population Review). Amongst these three groups, many customs have formed around their unique cultures due to geographical location, group interpretation, and experiences. 

Purim is a holiday celebrated by many Jewish people around the world. It’s main purpose is to commemorate the saving of the Jews from the hands of Haman, King Ahashverosh’s advisor who wished for the death of all the Jewish people living in Persia, by the mighty wisdom and skill of Mordechai and Queen Esther who obtained a royal decree allowing Jews to fight back against their enemies on Adar 13, the day on the Hebrew calendar when Purim is celebrated (Chabad.org). On Purim, the celebration of this live-saving decision is communicated and visualized in many original and culture reflecting demonstrations. In many places, Jews deliver Mishloach Manot (baskets/portions of food for friends and family) and Matanot L'Evyonim (gifts to the poor) (Sefaria). In some countries, though, customs extended a little farther than these two practices. For example, in Germany, torches containing gunpowder were ignited the night before Purim. During the reading of the Megillah, also known as the Book of Esther, the gunpowder exploded and elicited a deafening noise as a means to drown out the saying of Haman’s name (The Jewish Agency for Israel). Similarly, a custom shared by many Jews, namely those of Ashkenazi descent, is to shake groggers for the same purpose. Although the tradition of shaking groggers is very popular among the American Jewish population, the creation of the grogger stems from Germany and France as far back as the ninth century (Jewish Independent). In France, there was a custom for children to take smooth stones and write Haman’s name on them. Whenever Haman’s name was read in the Megillah, children would bang the rocks together as a makeshift grogger, at the same time erasing Haman’s name from the rock in accordance with the verse “I shall surely wipe out the memory of Amalek.” Focusing on another Jewish community, the Purim traditions of Yemenite Jews appear with the spirit of a powerful religious passion. Children create symbolic representations of Haman, the villain of the Purim story. They set up two sticks in a cross shape, cover them, and declare "Haman the wicked," a practice that led to the saying "In Adar - we put up Haman crosses." In Asaddeh, a city in Yemen, a large effigy of Haman was made from rags, placed on a donkey, and paraded house to house, where it was subjected to beating, spitting, and dirty water. Elsewhere, a scarecrow representing Haman is placed in a cart, adorned with beads, a beard, and colorful clothes, and paraded through the streets with children chanting and singing about Haman's downfall. This effigy is then hung from a tree, taunted, and pelted with stones and arrows until it is destroyed. In some places, the remains of the effigy are burned, leaving only dust and ashes (The Jewish Agency for Israel). Lastly, Israel’s festive celebration of purim is not one to pass up. Usually, celebrations include large parades and parties alongside the more traditional practices of Purim as mentioned before. Since Israel’s population features a majority of Jews, Purim celebrations may last the entire day of the 13th of Adar (My Jewish Learning). Exploring Jewish populations across the globe reveals many unique cultural traditions. Knowingly, these country-wide practices do not cover the individual customs that families practice in their own homes. Thus, I present a few questions: What is your favorite Purim custom or tradition? Is it something you only celebrate with your family and friends or is it something you see all around the world?