We knew the holiday was approaching when the buses yesterday were filled with costumed children. Today, the eve of Purim, even the normally stern shopkeepers in the shuk got into the act, donning rainbow wigs while they screamed angrily across the aisles. We also got clued-in when we dressed up, choosing the ubiquitous Israeli combination of cats and trashcans. The final hint came when looking out the bus window at all of the freakish costumes being paraded up and down the public streets made you think that made a hostile neighboring country has been tampering with our water system.
For megillah reading we went to Pardes, where unique halachic issues revolving around people not halachically Jewish wanting to read the megillah were resolved in the reading of two chapters twice, once in a "dramatic fashion". While we both think this is a ridiculous way to deal with the issue (as it doesn't actually deal with the issue at all, and in fact will only cause more problems in the future), the readings were all done very well and were entertaining at the same time.
After a break-fast of pizza, beers, chips, and dips (can you tell the Pardes crowd tends to be immediately post-college?) we sat down to enjoy two hours of skits and songs lampooning the institution, staff, and students, as well as Israeli culture in general. Even though Jon couldn't follow everything (truth be told, neither could Rina) it was still a lot of fun.
At around 11:30 p.m. we took a bus over to the ביניני העומה, the same concert hall where we saw Idan Raichel, for our first interaction with the phenomenon called "Boogie". The entire lobby was turned into a rave, with pulsing lights and bass, and hundreds of sweaty, stinky, and smiling young adults dancing in a variety of styles ranging from salsa to epileptic fits. The music was mostly techno, but the DJ threw in some Israeli dance and synagogue music just to liven things up (although it seems weird that either of those styles of music could bring life to anything). Interestingly, there was a partitioned area for separate dancing - I guess for those who wanted to go to a drunken club but be modest while doing so. We stayed and partied for about an hour and half, and the main room was still packed and full of gyrating bodies when we left at 1:30. This was a great close to the first of our three days of Purim, and bodes well for the next two.
2 comments:
The Thundercats shirt is a nice touch. I can't tell you how many tmies I've had to chase Lion-o away from my trash cans with a broom stick.
It was the only way to bring a little bit of masculinity to the costume, unless you think I look like Cheetarah. As we were walking down the street, we passed a 13 year-old girl wearing an identical costume, and of course she ridiculed me.
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