Purim events in the South

Purim costumes at B’nai Israel in Hattiesburg on March 3

Alabama

On March 11, Birmingham’s Temple Beth-El is hosting a community-wide Purim party with activities available for all ages. The evening is co-sponsored by Temple Emanu-El, Kehillat Shalom, the Levite Jewish Community Center, the Beth-El Men’s Club and the Reva and Joe Engel Young Adult Engagement Fund of the Beth-El Foundation.

The event features live music by the Magic Shtetl Klezmer Band with Alan Goldspiel, food, children’s games and inflatables, a costume party and dancing for adults and more.

The traditional Megillah reading begins at 6:30 p.m. and the women’s reading begins at 7 p.m., led by Emily Hausman and Ilene Kosoff. There will be youth programs for Community Youth Group and United Synagogue Youth. Among the dishes planned for the night are smoked salmon and phyllo, quiche, crudités and a cheese platter. The Men’s Club is furnishing alcoholic beverages for adults.

Beth-El will also have a megillah reading at the daily minyan, 8 a.m. on March 12.

Birmingham’s Knesseth Israel will have a megillah reading on March 12 at 6:30 p.m., followed by drinks and dessert. On March 12, there will be a Megillah reading at 10 a.m., followed by a mimosa brunch at 11 a.m. Suggested donation is $18 per adult, $9 per child, with a $36 maximum per family.

Chabad of Alabama will have Purim in Outer Space, March 12 with a megillah reading at 4:30 p.m. and party at 5 p.m. There will be a deejay, “cosmic cuisine” and an “open galaxy bar.” Admission is $18 for adults, $10 for children with a $54 maximum per family.

Dothan’s Temple Emanu-El will celebrate Purim on March 10 at 6 p.m. with a potluck dinner and a new Motown Purim shpiel. There will also be a Purim carnival and chili cookoff at Fort Rucker on March 12 from 4 to 7 p.m. in the Spiritual Life Center. Arrangements should be made through Emanu-El for those without a military ID.

B’nai Israel in Florence will celebrate Purim at the March 10 7 p.m. Shabbat service. Rabbi Nancy Tunick has challenged everyone to a hamntaschen bake-off.

Temple B’nai Sholom in Huntsville will have “Let’s Make A Shpiel: Hamantashens of Purims Past,” March 11 at Cooper House. The silent auction and hors d’oeuvres will start at 6 p.m., with the show at 7:30 p.m., featuring favorite songs and performers from past years. Coffee and dessert will follow. Tickets are $25, $15 for ages 12 and under.

Chabad of Huntsville will have Purim in Israel, March 12 at 5 p.m., with a falafel dinner, moon bounce, Israeli music and entertainment. Cost is $10 in advance, $14 at the door, $30 for family.

The megillah reading at Etz Chayim in Huntsville will be March 11 at 6:30 p.m., with the annual Sisterhood complimentary hot dog supper.

Ahavas Chesed, Mobile, will have its megillah reading on March 12 at 10 a.m., followed by a pizza lunch and prizes for best costume, at 11:30 a.m.

Chabad of Mobile will have a Purim Feast New York Style on March 12, starting with a multimedia megillah reading at 5 p.m., with dinner and a live game show at 5:30 p.m. The deli dinner is free, but reservations are required.

Springhill Avenue Temple in Mobile will have Motown Megillah, a dinner theater experience with the Purim story set to Motown hits. The Italian dinner will be on March 10 at 6 p.m. Reservations are due by March 5, and are $10 for adults, $5 for ages 5-13.

Montgomery’s congregations will have a joint Purim event. Jeff McKinney will lead a Harry Potter shpiel, “Magical Purim,” March 11 at 6 p.m. at Temple Beth Or. There will be a full dinner for the first time, Havdalah, megillah reading and schnapps. Admission is $12 for adults, $7 for ages 6 to 13, free for 5 and under.

Florida

Chabad Emerald Coast in Destin is holding Purim Italiano, March 12 at 3 p.m., with a pasta bar and Italian wine tasting to go with the megillah reading. There will also be a caricature artist.

Beth Shalom in Fort Walton Beach will have a family Purim service and shpiel on March 10 at 6:30 p.m.

B’nai Israel in Panama City will have a Purim party on March 5 at 10 a.m.

The Pensacola Jewish Federation is sponsoring a Purim carnival on March 12 at 12:30 p.m. at Creative Learning Academy. The free event includes face painting, games and prizes, bounce house, carnival booths and more.

The Purim celebration at Temple Beth-El in Pensacola will be on March 12 at 11:15 a.m. The congregation is encouraging Purim baskets.

Louisiana

Chabad in Baton Rouge is having Purim in the Wild West on March 12 at 3:30 p.m. In addition to the megillah reading, there will be Western food and décor, a petting zoo and pony rides. Cost is $15 for adults, $8 for children and a family maximum of $40.

The Baton Rouge Chabad will also have a megillah reading and Purim party on March 11 at 7:30 p.m., followed by a Purim party for Israelis at 9:30 p.m.

Beth Shalom in Baton Rouge will have its Purim celebration on March 11 at 4:30 p.m., with a photo booth, puppet show, crafts, costume parade and megillah reading.

B’nai Israel in Baton Rouge will have a Purim celebration on March 11 at 6 p.m., with appetizers and adult beverages. A dramatic megillah reading will start at 6:30 p.m., followed by a Persian dinner, $10 with advance reservations. At 8 p.m. there will be The Great Debate: Latkes vs. Hamantaschen, with an audience vote for the winner.

The congregation will also have an M&Ms Purim celebration, March 12 at 10:30 a.m., with story time, crafting and snacks. The Purim Shpiel will be at 11 a.m.

Temple Shalom in Lafayette will have an adult Purim party on March 11 at 8 p.m., at the home of Fay and Kevin Bowen. On March 12, the religious school will have its celebration, with costumes and a megillah reading.

B’nai Israel in Monroe will celebrate Purim on March 10 with a brief service at 6 p.m., followed by a Beatles-style Purim Shpiel with the words projected onto a screen so everyone can participate. A potluck dinner will follow, and 1960s-style costumes are encouraged. Rabbi Judy Ginsburgh will be providing her famous tie-dyed hamantaschen.

The annual Adloyadah community-wide Purim carnival in New Orleans will be at the Uptown Jewish Community Center in New Orleans on March 12, from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. There will be food, music, games and activities for all ages. The “Human Hamster Balls” and giant slide are back, as are the inflatables, along with some new ones like the “Tug and Dunk Bungee Pull.” Food items include Middle Eastern delicacies and New York-style deli items, snowballs, popcorn and homemade hamantashen. Admission to the carnival is free and open to the community. A children’s All Day Play Pass is $12, or $10 with a donation of nonperishable items for the Broadmoor Food Pantry.

Beth Israel in Metairie will have Chapter 5777: The Shushan Chronicles, a Star Wars-themed celebration. The night will start at 6:45 p.m. with Maariv and children’s programming. The megillah reading, led by visiting rabbinical student Daniel Atwood, will be at 7 p.m., with the celebration starting at 7:45 p.m.

Chabad in Metairie will host Purim in the Big Apple at Torah Academy on March 12, with megillah reading at 5 p.m. and the Purim feast at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $18 for adults and $10 for ages 3 to 12 by March 7, $25 for adults and $15 for kids after.

On March 13, Jewish Community Day School in Metairie will visit Torah Academy for a Purim Shpiel and lunch at 10:30 a.m., featuring an improv group from Yale University.

Shir Chadash in Metairie will have a Purim festival on March 11 at 6:15 p.m., with noshes, a signature Purim cocktail and havdallah, followed by the megillah reading at 7 p.m. On March 12, the regular Sunday minyan at 9 a.m. will have a special reading for Purim, and religious schools will rotate through Purim stations. At 10:15 a.m. there will be a family creative megillah reading, followed by brunch at 11 a.m., by Chef Leah and Co. There will be an opportunity to pack gifts for the needy before heading to the Jewish Community Center’s Adloyadah.

Gates of Prayer in Metairie will have an adult Purim Party, “Megillah, Munchies, Martinis & More” at Lula Restaurant and Distillery, March 11 at 7 p.m. There will be an open bar from 7 to 8 p.m., a megillah reading and costume contest. The Purim Family Celebration will be on March 12 at 11 a.m., featuring interactive storyteller Frank Levy.

Anshe Sfard in New Orleans will read the megillah on March 11 at 7 p.m., then have a Purim celebration. Afterward, they will join the Krewe du Jieux for a Purim march down St. Charles Avenue.

Touro Synagogue will have a Family Purim Celebration on March 11 at 5:30 p.m., with a pizza dinner and interactive telling of the megillah. Touro will also have a Purim parade on March 12 at 10:30 a.m., followed by religious school presentations and a megillah reading.

Chabad at Tulane is co-hosting Purim at The Boot with AEPi, March 11 at 8 p.m. Costumes are encouraged and there will be a raffle.

Temple Sinai in New Orleans will have a Purim family dinner at 5:15 p.m. on March 10, followed by services. The Purim Shpiel will be on March 12 at 10:45 a.m.

Chabad Uptown will have a megillah reading on March 11 at 7:30 p.m., followed by a party with a performance by Israeli musician Uzzi Varshaver.

B’nai Zion in Shreveport will have its Purim service on March 10 at 6 p.m., with a Purim Shpiel theme that is not being announced in advance.

The Shreveport community Purim carnival, sponsored by the North Louisiana Jewish Federation, will be on March 12 at 11 a.m. at B’nai Zion, with a bounce house, face painting, arts and crafts, a cake walk and carnival foods.

Mississippi

Chabad of Southern Mississippi in Biloxi is having a megillah reading on March 11 at 7:30 p.m., and a Purim in the ‘50s party, March 12 at 4:30 p.m. Leather jackets are welcome for the megillah reading and 1950s-style dinner. Beth Israel in Gulfport is joining in the festivities.

Beth Israel in Jackson will have its Purim carnival on March 5, starting at 11:30 a.m. The Purim Shpiel will be on March 8 at 7 p.m., and the megillah reading will be March 11 at 6:30 p.m.