For the second year in a row, Conservative Congregations Beth Shalom and Ohev Sholom will celebrate Purim together. New this year is the location, and the addition Congregation Kol Ami.
The gathering takes place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 7, at Ohev’s Asner Hall. It begins with a special Mincha service, followed by a light Israeli-style nosh — including hummus and pita bread — and a full Megillah reading. The evening will conclude with a Jewish musical revue featuring members of the three congregations.
Ohev Rabbi Scott White said all three congregations have played an equal role planning the service and the festivities. All are also encouraging their members to come in costume.
“It’s all about collaboration,” he said. “All three will have equal leadership roles in the evening as well, as far as prayer, reading in the Megillah and providing music.”
As for adding a Reform congregation to the mix, the Conservative rabbi simply said, “Purim is Purim.”
“There’s not a Reform way of doing it or a Conservative way of doing it or an Orthodox way of doing it. I don’t think it’s a reach for Kol Ami to be joining us,” Rabbi White said.
Kol Ami’s spiritual leader Doug Alpert said the congregation was looking forward to joining Ohev Sholom and Beth Shalom to celebrate Purim and “contributing our wonderful music to celebrate the chag.”
“It’s a great pleasure to have worked with Rabbi White and Rabbi Cohen, and both communities,” Alpert continued. “This is an easy, comfortable and rewarding collaboration for me personally.”
Rabbi White said the music that evening should be a treat.
“All three congregations have some musical talent among the congregants and that certainly applies to Kol Ami. They’ve got a musical troupe over there,” Rabbi White said. “They are far more than guests; they are playing a central role in the program itself.”
Rabbi White said the tone of the Purim holiday is very freilich, very happy, so the music that evening will be upbeat and danceable.”