Central London workers could enjoy something new thanks to Chabad Lubavitch HQ – an express 45-minute Purim experience on March 5 involving Megillah, food and mishloach manot in 11 locations as widespread as Kentish Town, Marylebone and Mayfair, with firms in the City, such as Goldman Sachs, Linklaters, Deloitte and Deutsche Bank, also being hosts.
In Leeds, Rabbi Eli Pink organised an evening with singer and award-winning songwriter Alex Clare for young professionals and read the Megillah at 15 schools across the city. 125 people packed the house in Buckhurst Hill, Essex for a circus-themed Purim party, while in Birmingham 150 locals enjoyed a “Purim on Fire” evening with spicy food and a fire show. At Hendon Lubavitch, the theme was Italian, while at Chabad on Campus in Leeds, it was Chinese. Rabbi Michoel Danow who organised the Purim in China event for 100 students said: “It was nice to see people who had never fulfilled the mitzvah of Purim before enjoying it so much.”
Around the country, other Chabad activities included Chabad Lubavitch of Islington’s “Young Jews Telling Jokes” stand-up comedy evening for young professionals at Islington Town Hall, a lunchtime Megillah reading for Sheffield University students at the Student Union and Rabbi Yossi Simon of Tzivos Hashem reading the Megillah to 300 pupils at Yavneh College, Borehamwood.
Chief Executive, Rabbi Bentzi Sudak said, “Purim had a great turnout with some new innovative idea’s this year which we hope to build on in the years to come. We are now gearing up for Pesach with many Sedarim already planned up and down the country”.