Midreshet Moriah
PuRim SaMeAcH
For the past two weeks the Midreshet girls have been playing "Mystery Mordechai," giving each other secret gifts. This helped the girls maintain the Purim spirit all through Adar in preparation for Purim, and it worked becuase our ru'ach was something of a legend.
It all started on Sunday morning, before it was even Purim in Yerushalayim. The students all piled into a bus to go Purim-Hopping, heading to Gush Etzion so the girls could celebrate Purim with many of their teachers. They stopped in Efrat to celebrate with Bracha Krohn and Malka Hubscher, then on to Alon Shvut, where they visited Leora Bednarsh and Yael Ziegler, and finally to Neve Daniel to drop in on Fagie and Rav Eitan.
But that was just the warm-up act, because Purim had not even started! Then it was back to Midreshet to get ready for the Megilah reading and the Chagiga. But you can't just show up for such an event – you have to make sure you are dressed appropriately, and the Midreshet girls did just that. When everyone arrived for Megilah reading, the girls were looking quite different!
The Megilah was expertly read by Vicky and Rav Berglas's grandson Ori, and the girls had a ton of fun shaking their graggers and making noise. (That was probably the most normal thing going on in the Beit Medrash that night.) The theme of the evening was Candyland, and all the girls in each room had to dress up together. Some of the highlights included Shevs Matanky as Barak O’Bamba, Jenna Spector as a Candy “Rapper,” and Hillary Barack, Betsy Magilnick and Joanna Rumelt as the Mars Bar Martians.
After the Megilah reading, the music started playing and the girls started dancing. Many teachers and their families showed up and joined in on the celebration. Vicky and Rav Berglas, Rav Eitan, Rav Ezra, Bracha and Rav Adi, Malka, Leora, Rena Coren and Ruthie were all there… some of the costume highlights were Rav Eitan as a Sour Stick, Rav Ezra's wife Devorah as "Ugly Betty," and Ruthie as a Candy Man.
When everyone was tired from all the dancing, and after beautiful words of Torah from Sharona Elmaleh, it was time for some performances. Rav Ezra and Rav Eitan sang a parody of the Midreshet Kedma song; Michal and Fagie chose reggae as their platform, using Matisyahu's "One Day"; and Rav Adi brought the house down with his own rendition of Jay-Z's “New York,” entitled "MidMo." But that was just the talent of the staff. The girls did an amazing shpiel, picking up on some of the funnier things that have happend at Midreshet this year and the all those funny little things teachers say and do.
It was a great night, but Purim was just getting started. The next morning, the girls went to a local nursing home to hear the Megilah. They came in costume and brought much ru’ach to the residents. It was a little confusing because for that day only, Midreshet had about six pregnant ladies (Oh the scandal!). Then it was back to Midreshet for the Purim Seudah. The girls were joined by the Wexlers, Hubschers, Mayers, Starrs, Evyatar and family, Rav Uri and Fagie. The Seudah was full of Torah, especially an inspiring DT from Tali Wachspress, and lots of singing and fun. After the Seudah some girls joined family and friends for another Purim Seudah, while others went out and saw the fun and excitement of Purim in Yerushalayim.
