The reading of the Megillah – Megillas Esther – took place in the main hall of the “Golden Rose” Central Synagogue. This is the primary mitzvah of the Purim holiday, along with sending food portions to friends, giving to the needy, and holding festive meals.
Hundreds of Dnipro Jews came for the evening Megillah reading, and the atmosphere in the hall was truly festive – many, both adults and children, were dressed in carnival costumes, creating a Purim spirit even before the reading began. This is a custom and a unique symbol of this particular holiday.
Rabbi Moshe Leib Weber, director of the “Kollel Torah” project, read the Megillah aloud with great emotion, while all present listened attentively, simultaneously following the text in handwritten scrolls, printed editions, and even electronic versions on their mobile devices. At the points where Haman’s name is traditionally drowned out (thereby “blotting out” the name of the primary villain), an incredible din arose in the synagogue.
Following the Megillah reading and the conclusion of the pre-holiday fast, refreshments were promptly served in the main hall, which could aptly be described as a “feast.”
The Megillah reading at the synagogue marked the beginning of numerous Purim events in the community, and our website will endeavor to inform our readers about at least some of them.
