Purim in Kharkov Circus

Over 2000 people took part in an amazing Purim program at the Kharkov circus. This year, the circus began at 9:00 am on a Sunday morning – and despite the early hour – the place was full to capacity.

The vice governor and vice mayor both mentioned in their speeches how amazed they were with the Jewish community of Kharkov who would do anything to celebrate their Jewish festivals.

2000 mishloach manot were distributed and every woman and girl got Shabbos candles. Hundreds of men and boys managed to put on tefillin before the program began.

Participants enjoyed a program with acrobats, Jugglers juggling to Jewish music, and cats and dogs performing to niggunim. The megilla was read by the shliach rabbi Levi Raices who was dressed as a pioneer. The Yeshiva ketana boys were all ‘loyal’ pioneers who ‘promised’ to daven daily and come to Gan yisroel in the summer.

Shliach Rabbi Moshe Moskovitz encouraged the crowd to take part in all the many programs the community has to offer, from the kindergarten, day school, star student programs, Jewish Academy for Girls, adult education programs and more. “The Rebbe prophesied that there would be a spiritual revival in the Soviet Union,” said Moscovitz, “and Kharkov is living proof of the Rebbe’s words.”

Vladimir Landsman, the vice governor – himself a Jew – described the miracle in our times that he can now proudly as a Jew stand in a full circus to celebrate Purim – the victory of the good over the evil, a sign that the Jewish nation is truly invincible.

The rest of the day of Purim was full of Purim festivities for school children, the Machon and Yeshiva, the students and the community. The spirit of Purim will definately last for a long time!