Purim in Kharkov Celebrated in the Circus – On Ice

This year, Kharkov, Ukraine, is celebrating a quarter of a century since the rebuilding and revival of Judaism in the city. Purim in Kharkov has taken place in the circus for nearly 25 years, ever since the first shluchim arrived in 1990. But this year, the Circus on Ice was a first.

Hundreds of men and boys put on tefillin, over 2,000 Mishloach Manos were distributed, as well as 1,000 Shabbos candles, at the entrance to the event.

Rabbi Moishe Moskovitz spoke of the uniqueness of Shnas Hakhel – the Year of Unity – and the Or Avner Jewish Day School students made a special dance in honor of Hakhel.  Rabbi Levi Raices, dressed as an eskimo, read the megilla to the packed crowd as clowns skated around him, and the cheder and Yeshiva boys cheered the crowd each time Haman’s name was mentioned .

Cantor Yitzchak Halfon sang with his sons a special Purim song. Monkeys, clowns, bears, sea lions and even emus and pelicans performed to Jewish music, as the crowd enjoyed a unique performance – all in the Purim spirit!

From the kindergarten to the school, the ladies club and the kollel, from the young to the old, the Machon and Yeshiva and even those in jail – all had a special Purim experience thanks to the hard work of all the shluchim in Kharkov. Special mention of thanks to the Levinson, Raices, Segal, Moskovitz, Stombler, Yakimenko and Semerenko families for their hard work .

The grand Purim Seuda in the city’s main synagogue was bigger than ever before, in honor of Shnas Hakhel!  Thanks to the hard work of Mendel and Chani Moskovitz, the shul was transformed into a shtetl, and all the participants were transported to hundreds of years in the past – all while experiencing the true simcha of Purim.

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