Page 41 - HaMizrachi Purim 5783 USA

Eli Talia Rabbi Noam
Lebowicz Borenstein Friedman

riting this piece about Purim cos- rowing up, I watched my mother master number of years ago, while reading
tumes feels like a microcosm of the Purim every year. I remember her cre- something or other about the French
entire Purim costume experience ativity and ingenuity coming to life. One philosopher Jacques Derrida, a very bad
itself. I want the finished product to year in particular, my mother dressed pun popped into my head. Derrida, born
Wbe original and clever so when people Gup as Professor McGonagall, I was Her- Ato Sephardic Jewish parents in Algeria, is
see it on social media they like it. (But unlike mish- mione, and other family members were Hagrid, perhaps most famous for having promulgated
loach manot where regifting is an option, like that Harry Potter, and Ron Weasley. With the robes “deconstruction”, an approach I should prob-
box of raisins you got 10 seconds ago that you’re and details, it was, simply put, epic. Then came ably allow more philosophically adept minds
totally redistributing to someone who you didn’t the mishloach manot: long pretzels as wands, to attempt to define. Despite not having really
think you were good enough friends with to be Jelly Bellies with their unique flavors, chocolate understood the little Derrida I had read in my
on your primary list.) Inevitably though, I wrote frogs from our local chocolate store, and more! life, I became fixated on this very bad pun and
this a bit last minute, so forgive me if this is the To top it off, she then composed a memorable resolved to bring it to life.
costume equivalent of going through the closet poem connecting and bringing it all together. When Purim of that year approached, I
before megillah reading, finding an old Michael After many hours of running around and printed a t-shirt with a blown-up photo of
Jordan jersey and going as “a basketball player.” delivering mishloach manot, our family would Derrida’s brooding visage, brow furrowed and
I did see an all-year-round Purim store in gather around our dining room table with the wavy white hair slanted upward at impossible
Brooklyn recently, making me wonder if there’s mishloach manot that we had received, and one angles. I paired it with a yellow reflective vest
someone who recently decided to do wedding by one we would each select one to open, read and tools befitting a construction zone. I was a
shtick as a full-time job, whose parents are the note or poem that came with it, and judge deconstruction worker.
certainly disappointed. their creativity (and who, of course, gave the The pun was made all the more timely by
I’ve had some pretty costumes over the best snacks!). the fact that during those days I found myself
years, including dressing as The Penguin from As a parent myself now, I attempt to channel working on an actual construction site. Purim
Batman and going as an actual penguin while the desire and dedication my mother showed us that year fell out in the middle of Columbia
collecting money for tzedakah while holding a as children. I strive to create memories that are University’s spring break; I then served as
sign that said “Need money so Morgan Freeman everlasting around our Jewish holidays for my OU-JLIC rabbi at Columbia and Barnard, and was
can narrate my life.” But the best costume I’ve family. I hope that by creating an experience building houses through Habitat for Humanity
had was the Tin Man from Wizard of Oz. It didn’t for them, years from now when they are raising alongside 20 amazing students in Charleston,
matter that the silver cloth I wore didn’t make their children, they will look at Purim as an South Carolina, where we celebrated Purim with
it through the day intact. It meant a lot since I opportunity to build memories and joy as a the wonderful local Jewish community.
had had heart surgery a couple months prior, family. All in all, I think there were two people who
making many of you reading this wonder if I look appreciated the pun. I recently met a third. If this
great for someone in their eighties or terrible for column elicits one or two more, I just may dust
someone in their mid-thirties. My wife going ol’ Jacques off to take him for another spin this
as Dorothy and my 6-month-old as an adorable Purim. In any case, I made myself laugh, which
lion helped me get rid of some of the rust I felt is good enough for me.
physically and comedically.
Eli Lebowicz is a standup comedian who has per- Rabbi Noam Friedman is the co-director of Miz-
formed at Jewish events all over the world, includ- rachi OU-JLIC at Reichman University in Herzliya.
ing at some shuls that were nervous about having He previously served as the director of OU-JLIC at
comedy since they had someone in 1985 who wasn’t Talia Borenstein, MSW is the Director of Member Columbia University before making Aliyah with his
clean. You can book him to perform at EliComedy.com. Engagement at Boca Raton Synagogue. family this past summer.

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