Some L.A. Jewish congregations have canceled Purim events, while others proceed with caution.
Some canceled children’s carnivals. Others called off costume balls. But as the raucous Jewish holiday of Purim begins Monday night, many in L.A.'s largest Orthodox enclave remain torn over how to balance sacred rituals with public health precautions after a member of the tight-knit community tested positive for COVID-19.
“We’re trying to manage the delta between vigilance and panic,” said Rabbi Adam Kligfeld of Temple Beth Am, a large Conservative congregation whose Purim events are especially popular among young families. “As of now, nothing is canceled. We’re encouraging people to come.”Purim celebrates the story of Queen Esther, the Jewish consort of a 5th century Persian emperor who risked her life to thwart a genocidal plot.
But as precautions intensified around rituals on Monday, the fate of many wild parties and boisterous carnivals remained unclear.“We have decided that it is prudent to cancel our Purim Carnival Monday night, particularly considering that it involves significant social interaction and it is not obligatory,” Rabbi Kalman Topp wrote in an email to members of Beth Jacob Congregation on Sunday night.
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