A Week of Purim Fun
The following list offers many, although certainly not all, of the events taking place in the Atlanta area for Purim, which runs from the evening of Wednesday, March 4, to the evening of Thursday, March 5. Check with your friendly neighborhood synagogue to catch a standard Megillah reading or to participate in the tradition of giving mishloach manot gift baskets.
Gifts of charity also are a crucial Purim tradition.
The rabbis’ costumes are one of the surprise highlights of the Beth Jacob Purim parade.
When making your Purim plans, keep in mind these words from the Marcus Jewish Community Center’s outreach director, Rabbi Brian Glusman, who said Purim is like a Jewish Mardi Gras: “It is a holiday filled with celebration and revelry as we commemorate the survival of the Jewish people. One of the most important themes of the Purim holiday is how God works in the background. It is sometimes hard to recognize God’s presence, which is one reason we wear masks and costumes to celebrate Purim.”
Saturday, Feb. 28
“Purim Night Live.” The Temple, 1589 Peachtree St., Midtown, the-temple.org, will offer a free Purim shpiel for adults, starting with cocktails at 6:30 p.m. and continuing with the show at 7:30. RSVP to jschmidt@the-temple.org.
Hamantashen bake-off. General Muir and Yalla chef Todd Ginsberg judges the hamantashen bake-off at Jewish Kids Group’s adults-only Purim party at 8 p.m. at Decatur Arthouse, 619 E. College Ave., Suite E, Decatur. Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door; www.jewishkidsgroups.com/adult-purim-party.html.
Sunday, March 1
Purim carnival. Congregation Gesher L’Torah, 4320 Kimball Bridge Road, Alpharetta, www.gltorah.org, 10 a.m. to noon. Free admission; tickets 50 cents or all-you-can-play wristband for $12 in advance or $15 at the door.
Children’s Purim shpiel. Second- to fifth-graders at The Temple, 1589 Peachtree St., Midtown, the-temple.org, will present “Haman and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” free at 10 and 10:45 a.m. No registration is required.
Megillah Madness. The Marcus JCC’s free family celebration from 10 a.m. to noon at Zaban Park, 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody, will include Mr. Greg’s Musical Madness concert, Rabbi Brian Glusman’s songs and stories, and a costume parade; www.atlantajcc.org/megillah.
Family Purim celebration. Temple Sinai, 5645 Dupree Drive, Sandy Springs, www.templesinaiatlanta.org, starts with a Megillah reading at 10:15 a.m. and continues with a carnival from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Admission is free for children 2 and under and $8 for children 3 and older for games, face painting, hamantashen, a DJ and more. Food tickets are extra. Register at templesinai.wufoo.com/forms/family-purim-celebration to avoid entrance lines.
Purim parade and carnival. The Toco Hills parade, organized by Congregation Beth Jacob, will start at 11 a.m. at Pikes Nursery at the Toco Hills Shopping Center and run along LaVista Road to Beth Jacob, 1855 LaVista Road, where a carnival will continue until 4 p.m. For more information, contact Sybil Goldstein at 678-244-6642 or sgoldstein@bethjacobatlanta.org.
Australian outback Purim carnival. The fun at The Temple, 1589 Peachtree St., Midtown, the-temple.org, will include a dunk-the-rabbi booth. Pre-kindergartners and younger will be admitted at 11 a.m.; others may enter at 11:30. Email sfields@the-temple.org for more information.
Purim carnival and silent auction. Congregation Ner Tamid, 1349 Old Highway 41, Suite 220, Marietta, www.mynertamid.info, celebrates with a Megillah reading at 11:30 a.m., followed by a carnival and silent auction until 2 p.m. at a price of $18 per child (parents are free) and $2 for meals.
Purim carnival. Congregation Beth Shalom, 5303 Winters Chapel Road, Dunwoody, will offer improved games, food and Adam the Juggler at its carnival from noon to 2 p.m. Wristbands for unlimited games plus lunch cost $10 for the first child and $7 for each additional child; bethshalomatlanta.org/purim-carnival-coming-soon.
Purim carnival. Temple Emanu-El, 1580 Spalding Drive, Sandy Springs, will bring a Vibe dance party, Street Gamz truck, inflatables and wacky bowling to its carnival from noon to 1:30 p.m., after a “Frozen” Purim shpiel at 11 a.m. Tickets for food (a pizza slice is six tickets) and games (one to eight tickets each) start at three for $1; templeemanuelatlanta.org/events/purim-carnival.
Purim carnival. Temple Kol Emeth, 1415 Old Canton Road, East Cobb, will offer games, face painting, balloon animals, food and more from noon to 3 p.m. Admission is free, with a charge for each activity and food; www.kolemeth.net.
Purim carnival. Temple Beth Tikvah, 9955 Coleman Road, Roswell, will hold its carnival from noon to 3 p.m. Wristbands for unlimited play are $10 and available through bethtikvah.com; wristbands for children 5 and younger include a hot dog and drink.
Purim shpiel and carnival. Temple Kehillat Chaim, 1145 Green St., Roswell, will combine the Purim story with a costume contest and carnival at noon. Admission to the carnival is $5 and includes a hot dog lunch; www.kehillatchaim.org.
Purim beach carnival. Congregation Etz Chaim, 1190 Indian Hills Parkway, East Cobb, will offer a steel drum band, games, food, a raffle and more from 12:15 to 2:15 p.m. Admission bracelets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door; etzchaim.net.
Women Noshin’ Hamantashen. The Jewish National Fund will celebrate Purim and bake hamantashen simultaneously from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in kitchens in Alpharetta, Buckhead, Dunwoody, Perimeter, Roswell, Sandy Springs and intown, as well as other locations in the Southeast, under the Skype direction of Israeli chef Talia Tzour. The cost is $18. Contact Abby Bernstein at abernstein@jnf.org or 404-236-8990, ext. 852.
Wednesday, March 4
Purim carnival. Ahavath Achim Synagogue, 600 Peachtree Battle Ave., Buckhead, aasynagogue.org, will offer a costume parade, inflatables, games, other activities and food as part of its carnival from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Admission is $10 per child or $25 per family for members and $15 per child or $35 per family for nonmembers; food is extra. A free Megillah reading follows at 7 p.m. For more information, contact Marcia Lindner at mlinder@aasynagogue.org or 404-603-5748.
Pizza, shpiel and Megillah. Congregation Beth Shalom, 5303 Winters Chapel Road, Dunwoody, will spread the Purim spirit with a pizza party from 5:15 to 6 p.m. ($5 at the door), a youth Megillah reading and costume contest from 6:15 to 7, a shpiel from 7 to 8, and the whole Megillah from 8 to 8:30; bethshalomatlanta.org/purim-at-beth-shalom.
Carnival and Megillah reading. Congregation B’nai Torah, 700 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, will hold a carnival with games, a costume contest and food from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., followed by Megillah readings at 6:30. Dinner and drinks for adults will follow the Megillah for a price of $18. RSVP to rsvp@bnaitorah.org or 404-257-0537.
Purim shpiel and Megillah. Congregation Or Hadash, 7460 Trowbridge Road, Sandy Springs, www.or-hadash.org, will hold a spiel at 5:45 p.m., with a family Megillah reading at 6, a festive meal at 6:15 and the full Megillah at 6:45.
Family and children’s fun. Congregation Shearith Israel, 1180 University Drive, Atlanta, will hold a free children’s dinner and offer prizes for best original costume and best family costume at a pre-Megillah celebration at 6 p.m. The fun will include music and the PJ Library book nook before the congregation’s Megillah reading and Purim shpiel at 7:15 p.m.; shearithisrael.com/purim-events.
Purim shpiel. Congregation Dor Tamid, 11165 Parsons Road, Johns Creek, will combine its Megillah reading with a Purim shpiel from 6:15 to 8:15 p.m.; www.dortamid.org.
“Shpiel Night Live.” Congregation Gesher L’Torah celebrates the 2,500th anniversary (more or less) of the Purim shpiel with a free tribute to TV through the ages in shpiel fit for the king of Persia or a Duke of Hazzard (rated TV-14 for crude, possibly unfunny humor and 50 shades of hamantashen), as well as a Megillah reading enhanced by text on a big screen, at 7 p.m. in the synagogue social hall, 4320 Kimball Bridge Road, Alpharetta. For a TV-G version of the Megillah, attend the family-friendly version at 6:15.
Fire & Ice Masquerade. The young Jewish professionals group YJP Midtown will hold a party for people in their 20s (minimum 21) and 30s at 7 p.m. at the Piedmont Room at the Park Tavern, 500 10th St., Midtown, with a full cash bar, DJ, hamantashen bar, salad bar, dinner, Megillah reading and raffle. Tickets are $15; www.YJPmidtownatlanta.com, 404-898-0434 or yjpmidtown@gmail.com.
Absolut Purim. Temple Emanu-El, 1580 Spalding Drive, Sandy Springs, will discuss G-d’s role in the Book of Esther, with Persian mezze and Absolut vodka to fuel the debate. The cost is $10; www.templeemanuelatlanta.org.
“Mordy and Esther to the Rescue!” The Bible Players’ Purim shpiel at Congregation Etz Chaim, 1190 Indian Hills Parkway, East Cobb, will start at 7:45 p.m. after a 7 p.m. Megillah reading and will include drinks and snacks throughout the night; etzchaim.net.
Thursday, March 5
Laugh and learn. Congregation B’nai Torah, 700 Mount Vernon Highway, Sandy Springs, www.bnaitorah.org, will hold a Purim seudah. The cost is $10; rsvp@bnaitorah.org or 404-257-0537.
Carnival and family masquerade. Chabad of North Fulton, 10180 Jones Bridge Road, Alpharetta, chabadnf.org, will hold a Purim carnival and costume party at 3 p.m. with games, hamantashen, a Megillah reading, crafts and a raffle. Admission is $5; 770-410-9000 or admin@chabadnf.org.
P Is for Purim. The Kehilla, 5075 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs, thekehilla.org, will gather for a grand Purim celebration that starts with a meal at 4 p.m. and includes drinks into the night. Wear a P-themed costume.
Purim seudah. Young Israel of Toco Hills, 2056 LaVista Road, www.yith.org, will hold a Chinese banquet with music and entertainment for adults and children at 5 p.m. Tickets are $18 for member adults and $10 for member children ages 2 to 10 until March 1, then cost the same as nonmember tickets ($22 for adults, $14 for children). Register at www.yith.org/event/annual-purim-seudah.html.
Purim at the Stadium. Chabad Intown will use a sports theme for its Purim feast at the Richard Kaufman Youth Center, 1041 Monroe Ave., Atlanta, beginning with a Megillah reading at 5 p.m. and continuing with performances and festivities at 5:45, including a kosher stadium buffet, popcorn and gourmet cotton candy. Wear your favorite sports gear to receive a prize. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door for children, $15 in advance and $20 at the door for adults, or $55 in advance and $75 at the door for families; 404-898-0434 or chabadintown.org.
A World of Opposites. The annual celebration at Congregation Beth Tefillah, 5065 High Point Road, Sandy Springs, chabadga.org, will start at 5:30 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to dress in their most creative opposite attire. Admission is $36 for adults and $12 for children ages 3 to 12; under 3 is free. RSVP by calling 404-843-2464, ext. 104.
Scientific Purim. Experiment with new tastes at a dinner buffet, listen to a mad Megillah reading, watch a mad science show and participate in the grand Purim masquerade at Purim in the Lab at 5:30 p.m. at Chabad of Cobb, 4450 Lower Roswell Road, East Cobb. Admission is $10 per person or $36 per family until Feb. 27, then $15 per person or $46 per family; office@chabadofcobb.com, 770-565-4412 or www.chabadofcobb.com.
Southern-fried seudah. The New Toco Shul, 2003 LaVista Road, Toco Hills, will feature fried chicken and other Southern cuisine at its Purim seudah at 5:30 p.m. Free for members, $10 for nonmember adults, $5 for nonmember children 3 and older; newtocoshul@gmail.com or 770-765-7485.
Saturday, March 7
Purim off Ponce. Atlanta’s best costume party and the biggest annual fundraiser for SOJOURN: Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender and Sexual Diversity features circus performers, acrobats, drag queens, dancing and great food and honors Dan Bloom and Barry Golivesky with the Michael Jay Kinsler Rainmaker Award from 7:30 to 11 p.m. at Le Fais do-do, 1611 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd., West Midtown Atlanta. Tickets start at $65 in advance, $85 at the door; sojourngsd.org/purim.
Purim on Piedmont. A Marcus JCC-sponsored celebration for adults ages 21 to 35 runs from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Tongue & Groove, 2420 Piedmont Road, Midtown. Tickets are $10 for center members and $15 for nonmembers and must be purchased in advance at www.atlantajcc.org/pldb-live/27865. Contact Roey Shoshan at 678-812-4055 or roey.shoshan@atlantajcc.org for more information.
Sunday, March 8
Purim carnival. Congregation Or Hadash, 7460 Trowbridge Road, Sandy Springs, www.or-hadash.org, will hold a carnival from 10 a.m. to noon.
Purim carnival. Congregation B’nai Israel, 1633 Highway 54 East, Jonesboro, bnai-israel.net, will hold a carnival at 11 a.m.
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