The Ronald S. Lauder Foundation >> Our Newsletter >> Past Issues

CHILDREN SPREAD PURIM CHEER THROUGHOUT CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
Shining examples of generosity and caring were evident as students of new Lauder projects in Perm, Tula, and Kaliningrad, Russia; Vilnius, Lithuania; and Lviv, Ukraine, spent hours preparing and delivering mishloach manot (traditional Purim food packages) for elderly and homebound Jews in their midst. In addition, Lauder-supported schools throughout Central and Eastern Europe sponsored community-wide Purim celebrations helping thousands to learn about and celebrate the holiday.

Children's Purim celebrations across Central and Eastern Europe varied:
In Prague, Czech Republic, youngsters from The Lauder Kindergarten and Lauder Gur Aryeh Jewish Day School celebrated Purim with a visit to the Charles Jourdan Pension, a home for the aged. Later that day, the children reenacted the story of Esther and Mordechai for the entire community and, in the age-old tradition of giving charity on Purim, collected korunas (Czech currency) for the needy from the appreciative audience
.

At The Lauder-Morasha School in Warsaw, Poland, the School's now famous bakery made nearly 3,000 hamentaschen! The School's younger students participated in the annual Purim Olympics, while the older students happily danced together at "Queen Esther's Ball." In Wroclaw, The Lauder Etz Chaim School hosted its own Megillah reading and community-wide costume party.

In Berlin, Germany, over 200 people gathered for a Foundation-supported communal Megillah reading, while elsewhere in Germany, Lauder Am Echad children sang and danced their way into people's homes and hearts, delivering special food packages in Aachen and Leipzig.

In Lviv, Ukraine, children at The Lviv Jewish National School held their annual hamentaschen "bake-off." The three-cornered cookies produced rave reviews from all who sampled them. The Sholom Aleichem Jewish Day School in Vilnius, Lithuania, radiated with a beautiful exhibit on Megillat Esther and held festive activities for the families of its students.

Students at The Jewish School in Sofia, Bulgaria, visited the city's beautifully renovated Central Synagogue and attended the community's Purim carnival and costume exhibition.

Teachers at The Hebrew Academy of Moldova had a hard time recognizing their students who gathered for the School's Purim seudah -- festive meal -- dressed as Biblical figures.

The Lauder Schneor School in Minsk, Belarus, held "vice-versa" day. Children acted as teachers, and teachers pretended to be students which produced much hilarity. In addition, The Lauder Lech Lecha Youth Center's choir delighted Minsk's Jewish Community with a holiday performance that was attended by 150.

Children of The Lauder Gan Menachem Kindergarten in Bratislava, Slovakia, visited the newly opened Ohel David Nursing Home, handing out home-made mishloach manot.

The Lauder Reut Kindergarten in Bucharest, Romania, organized a Megillat Esther Show and festive celebration for the entire community.

The Lauder Javne School, in Budapest, Hungary, put on a theatrical performance in honor of Purim that was attended by the families of the 700 students in the School.

Teachers at The Lauder Chabad School in Vienna, Austria, assigned each of their classes to learn about the history and culture of some of the 127 provinces ruled by King Ahasuerus and Queen Esther during the time of Purim.

Across Central and Eastern Europe, Jewish communities had a festive and meaningful holiday -- inspired by the joy and creativity of their children.