Purim (Feast of Esther) (Das Purim-Fest)

Purim has it all-power, romance, intrigue, and partying! This joyous holiday commemorates Queen Esther's triumph in saving the Jews of ancient Persia from annihilation. At home, Purim is celebrated with a family feast during which masked, itinerant students perform. Masquerading originated in Italy in the fifteenth century under the influence of the carnival.

Here, the meal has ended and sweets are being served. The man seated at right tastes one of the hamantashen, traditional three-cornered pastries named after Haman, the villain in the Book of Esther. During the retelling of the story, the child will shake her noisemaker to stifle Haman's name.

Source: The Jewish Museum, New York, 2000.