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Shalom!
Welcome to Shir Hatzafon - Progressive Judaism in Denmark
Shir Hatzafon is the Progressive Jewish synagogue and community in Denmark, based in Copenhagen. Shir Hatzafon combines Jewish tradition and religious learning with modern life, and we emphasize transparency, gender equality and innovative interpretation of our several-thousand-year-old Jewish history.
Shir Hatzafon is a welcoming and inclusive community. To all, who have Judaism as their religious, cultural and identity standpoint, we say: welcome!
Purim - an evil man and two strong women
On the Jewish holiday of Purim, which begins at sunset on February 27th or the 14th of Adar in the Jewish calendar, the Jewish people commemorate rescue from extermination in ancient Persia. The story, which can be read in the Megillat Esther (Book of Esther), contains all elements from the fairy tale world: kings, villains, the clever, the beautiful ordinary girl who ends up as queen, dangers and threats, and finally a happy ending where the villains gets as deserved.
Although the story of the Megillat Esther is not for delicate souls, Purim is especially loved by children and others with a penchant for fun and games. Purim has become a wild holiday, which turns everything upside down. Beautiful costumes, noisy gregors so you do not hear Haman's name and for the adults a little extra wet goods.
But Purim has also become a symbol of liberation for Jewish women. Queen Vashti is a proactive woman who refuses to dance naked in front of the king's drinking - this costs Vashti her crown. The beautiful Jewish girl, Hadassah becomes the new queen under the name Esther. Through wisdom and cunning Esther manage to save the Jewish people from extinction. Instead the evil Haman and his peers were killed.
Today is Purim more innocent. It is a day of funny costumes, Purim-shpil, and as always a plethora of different homentashn cakes. In Shir Hatzafon the best homentashn cake elected and in the jousting all subterfuge is being used! Read more about Shir hatzafon’s Purim party in the calendar.
You can learn more about Purim and traditions concerning the day on MyJewishLearning.
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