Persian Passports for Rostov

Residents of the Jewish community of Rostov received Persian Passports this Purim in accordance with a new law recently passed in Shushan Parliament.

In order to validate their passports, residents were required to fulfill several obligations. They had to listen attentively to the Megillah and count the number of times Haman was mentioned, and then report to Mordechai HaTzaddik who verified that they had counted correctly and initiated the qualification process. Then they had to give charity to poor people, pack and give shalach manos, and make their own groggers.

At the completion of all these tasks, residents received stamps in their passports that were redeemed for vouchers to join the festive meal of popcorn and cotton candy!

Purim celebrations in Rostov also included traditional fun, like a 40 minute musical production by students of the Or Avner Jewish day school, live music, and more than 400 participants at the buffet Seuda following the daytime Megillah reading. Forty of the Jewish community’s major supporters gathered in Rabbi Chaim Danzinger’s home later in the day for a private, lavish Purim Seuda, where a spirit of unity and enthusiasm for communal goals prevailed.

Vadim, a new supporter of the community, made a toast declaring, “This time next year we should already be building our new community center to host these events that are growing too big for our shul!” and the room erupted in a resounding ‘Amen!’

The Rostov youth group enjoyed a separate program Motzai Shabbos, where they heard the Megillah, played an interactive Jewish trivia game, enjoyed delicious sushi and a full meal, and expressed their holiday spirit with lively dancing and singing until 3 o’clock in the morning.

Rabbi Danzinger said, “The joy of Purim this year was intensified by the birth of a son to the first married couple from our youth group. We are looking forward to another chupa soon and it’s so gratifying to see the results of our work with students and young adults!”

Rabbi Danzinger’s assistant Dovid added, “Our youth group is going from ‘strength to strength’. Just a few days after an amazing Purim program, we are taking 25 students to a national youth Shabbaton in Moscow this weekend. Purim is one of the favorite holidays for the students, and it inspires them to become more involved in Jewish life.”