Kharkov Celebrates Circus Purim

Purim was a full day in Kharkov – from 9am in the circus till the late hours in a Purim Seudah in the shule – with thousands of people taking part in one of the happiest days of the year.

Despite the early hour the circus was packed with over 2000 people, who all got mishloach manos and got to hear the megilla.

Men put on tefillin and all the women and girls got Shabbos candles.

Many special guests took part in the program, including Mr. Avraham Grant (famous ex- trainer of the Chelsea team), Mr. Yoav Tzur (previous editor of Maariv), and Mr. Meni Weissman, along with a very enthusiastic crowd.

Rabbi Moshe Moskovitz pointed out the power of the community – that the fact that at 9am so many people came to celebrate our victory over Haman and our enemies – is proof that the Jewish nation is still victorious.

This year the program was dedicated to 100 years since the building of the Kharkov shul. Rabbi Levi Raices read the megilla as a builder this year – with an improvised shul in the background, together with his ‘builders’ from the Yeshiva Ktana.

The Or Avner school and kindergarten put on a lively performance and Purim spiel. The circus show, now a yearly favorite, was better than ever with clowns, acrobats and elephants performing to Chasiddic niggunim!

For the first time, a grand Purim Seuda took place in the shul upstairs with almost 200 participants! Rabbi Yaakov Yakimenko and Eli Nochum Lipsitz had the crowd on wheels – as the simcha of Purim continued late into the night! The Cheder Menachem Choir performed together with Chazan Issac Halfon as well.