Purim Lifts Kharkov Jews’ Spirits

With Ukraine still struggling from war in the east and economic collapse – Purim came to Kharkov to bring smiles on the faces of the Kharkov Jewish community.

Thousands of people filled the Kharkov circus to hear the megilla and enjoy a full program in true Jewish Purim spirit.

At the entrance hundreds of men and boys put on tefillin, women and girls received Shabbos candles and everyone received Mishloach Manos.

The Or Avner Chabad school made a Purim spiel to the delight of the audience. Rabbi Moshe Moskovitz said a prayer for peace in Ukraine and the world.

This year, Rabbi Levi Raices together with the Yeshiva Ketana livened up the Megilla reading dressed up as robots from outer space! Cantor Yitzchak Halfon sang a lively medley with his sons. The animals danced to Hava Nagilla and the acrobats to Jewish songs and the clowns put a smile on everyone’s faces!

The Purim spirit continued throughout the whole day with special programs in the kindergarten, school, Machon and Yeshiva and a program for youth and a lively seuda in the shul.