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Date:  17 March 2008

Purim fancy dress parade at Stepney Jewish Community Centre

The festival of Purim gave the perfect excuse for members, staff and volunteers of Jewish Care’s Stepney Community Centre to dress up. A Purim party was held on Sunday 16 March at the centre in Beaumont Grove at which prizes were given for the liveliest costumes. Around 76 people attended.

Tower Hamlets resident Betty Conroy won a prize as ‘best dressed centre member’, wearing an innovative costume that included a Megillah scroll and a Star of David. “The costume was my idea – my daughter made it and my son-in-law finished it off,” said a delighted Mrs Conroy, who has won an extra day’s attendance at the centre.

In a long blue robe, Daphne Cohen from Mile End, was proclaimed ‘best dressed volunteer’, as Queen Esther’s mother – “I’m really happy to win,” she said of her toiletries prize.

The last prize – best dressed staff member – went to catering manager Mo Olaribigbe, wearing an African robe. “I was born in Nigeria – this is a traditional costume, it is very colourful and easy to wear.” She won a half day’s holiday.

The special tea, which included entertainment by Denny Jackson, was partly funded by B’nai B’rith’s Shlomo Argov Unity Lodge, whose committee members came along to help. These included incoming president Joella Leaf and welfare officer Shirley Lever (one of the competition judges). The other judges were Stepney volunteer Barbara Waterman and Jewish Care’s volunteer and community development manager Pauline Gusack.

Centre manager Sandra Saintus thanked the B’nai B’rith Lodge for its generosity and commended everyone who had dressed up. The day also served as a farewell for outreach worker Terry Stimson, who was leaving after ten and a half years to work in a family business.

Purim, one of the jolliest festivals in the Jewish calendar, tells the story of an evil man called Haman who tried to destroy the Jews of the Persian Empire. This year the festival begins on the evening of Thursday 20 March when the story (which comes from the Book of Esther) is read from a scroll called a Megillah. Customs include dressing up and eating pastries filled with poppy seeds, known as Hamantaschen.