Pearl is five years old and lives in New York City. She is in Kindergarten. Pearl loves her school. She goes to a Jewish School that teaches all about Jewish culture, religion and her favorite, the holidays. Pretty soon it is going to be Purim. Purim is Pearl’s favorite holiday because she loves to dress up. Pearl has all kinds of costumes at home. Princess costumes, firefighter costumes, costumes of animals, pirates, space travelers and more. Dressing up is Pearls favorite activity. If someone needs to borrow a costume they ask her. This makes her feel important. Pearls mom and grandma are very good at sewing costumes. This makes Pearl happy too because she gets to try many different types of costumes.
Pearl is five years old and lives in New York City. She is in Kindergarten. Pearl loves her school. She goes to a Jewish School that teaches all about Jewish culture, religion and her favorite, the holidays. Pretty soon it is going to be Purim. Purim is Pearl’s favorite holiday because she loves to dress up. Pearl has all kinds of costumes at home. Princess costumes, firefighter costumes, costumes of animals, pirates, space travelers and more. Dressing up is Pearls favorite activity. If someone needs to borrow a costume they ask her. This makes her feel important. Pearls mom and grandma are very good at sewing costumes. This makes Pearl happy too because she gets to try many different types of costumes.
Pearl is five years old and lives in New York City. She is in Kindergarten. Pearl loves her school. She goes to a Jewish School that teaches all about Jewish culture, religion and her favorite, the holidays. Pretty soon it is going to be Purim. Purim is Pearl’s favorite holiday because she loves to dress up. Pearl has all kinds of costumes at home. Princess costumes, firefighter costumes, costumes of animals, pirates, space travelers and more. Dressing up is Pearls favorite activity. If someone needs to borrow a costume they ask her. This makes her feel important. Pearls mom and grandma are very good at sewing costumes. This makes Pearl happy too because she gets to try many different types of costumes.
Last year on Purim Pearl was Queen Esther. It was an okay costume but this year Pearl wanted to be something unique. All the girls at school dressed up as one sort of princess or the other for Purim and she wanted to try something different. She loved standing out.
When Pearl would run errands with her dad she would wear one of her special costumes. When she wears her firefighter costume real firefighters see her and give her a high five. If she wears a Disney Princess costume little kids see her and exclaim look, mommy, that’s Princess Anna or Queen Elsa or Moana! This makes Pearl feel beautiful like a real Princess. When she wears her space explorer costume her bubbe says my Pearl is going to be the first five-year old in space. This makes Pearl laugh. Bubbe I’m not a REAL space explorer this is just a costume! .
Pearl what do you think you are going to be for Purim this year? Her mommy asks. Hmm, Pearl answers. I’m not sure. Who is your favorite Purim character? Her mommy asks. That may help you decide. My favorite is Morde mored….Mordecai? her mom helps her. That’s right. Because he’s like Esther’s big brother and I think that’s cool. But I can’t be a BOY for Purim. I’m a girl!
Are you SURE you can’t be a boy for Purim?, asks her mother. After all its only for one day and everyone knows you are really you, just in costume. Just like everyone knows you’re not really a space explorer or a monkey! Pearls mom looks at her and smiles. Sometimes though, you are my little monkey! Pearl laughed and trotted around the kitchen whooping like a monkey. But she still wasn’t sure about being a boy on Purim. Maybe she should be Esther again, like the other girls..
The next day at school Morah Naomi shared the Purim story with the class. She asked for volunteers to hold the puppets in the story. When she asked who would like to hold the Mordechai puppet Pearl raised her hand. Her friend Shoshana looked at her. Mordecai? She whispered. Pearl whispered back, “Sure, why not?” He’s a boy, Shoshana replied. Its ok Pearl said, I like him, he’s a helper. Pearl? Morah Naomi asked, would you like to hold the puppet? Yes, please! Pearl replied and skipped up to the front. When Morah Naomi asked who would like to hold the Esther puppet her friend Sam’s hand shot up. Samuel? Morah Naomi asked, would you like to come up here and hold the Esther puppet? Yeah! Replied Sam, and jumped up. Nathan raised his hand. Yes, Nathan, Morah Naomi called on him. “Why is a girl holding a boy puppet and a boy holding a girl puppet?”. Morah Naomi smiled. Only our friends holding the puppets can answer that question. Friends, why are you holding the puppets? “Because you called on me to.” Sam responded. The whole class laughed. That was the end of that question. For the time being.
Outside at recess Pearl was on a swing. Sam took the swing next to her and looked at her. Why’d you want to be Mordecai? He asked. She shrugged. “I like him”, she responded. Why’d you want to be Esther. “I like her” he responded. She’s brave like a super hero. Why do you like Mordecai. He’s a good helper, Pearl replied and people always say I’m a good helper. What are you going to be for Purim? he asked. I have a lot of things I want to be, she said. But I’m not sure I should go as my favorite. Sam looked at her. Me too, he said..
Pearl was sitting next to Shoshanna and Leah waiting for their parents to pick them up after school. What are you guys going to be for Purim? She asked. I’m going to be Hello Kitty! I love Hello Kitty, Pear replied and I have a costume of her. Are you going to be Hello Kitty too? No, Pearl replied. I’m going to be Skye on Paw Patrol, Leah said. I have a costume like that too, Pearl replied. She’s my favorite! Are YOU going to be Skye too? No, replied Pearl. Pearl wasn’t so sure she should tell her friends what she really wanted to be..
After Shabbat dinner Pearl was at the table finishing her ice cream, thinking about Mordecai. He was very brave he probably wouldn’t be afraid to wear a girl costume. But was she brave? What are you thinking about, asked Bubbe, smiling? Bubbe, I have a lot of Purim costumes. Yes, I know you do, she replied, all very pretty. Yes, but I don’t think I want to be any of the pretty ones this year. I think I want to be Mordecai but I’m afraid to be. Afraid? Why? Because he’s a boy and I’m afraid all the kids would laugh at me. .
Pearl you know the story of Purim, right? Yes! We read it today! I got to hold the Mordecai puppet! But some of my friends thought it was weird that I held the boy puppet. But Sam held the girl puppet, Esther and people thought that was weird but we were happy because we both like those people. Pearl, how many days of the year do you have a Purim carnival and parade? One! Pearl answered. That’s right. And since you only have one Purim parade ALL year do you think it’s a good idea to be EXACTLY who you want to be so you can have the most fun ever? The month of Adar, the month that we celebrate Purim commands us to be joyful. Mordecai, and his cousin Esther had to be very brave in order for us to celebrate such a special holiday right? Yes, replied Pearl. Esther had to give away her secret and Mordecai had to tell her to do it. That’s right, said Bubbe. Sometimes in order to do what we want to do we have to have courage just like our heroes in the Megillah Esther. Pearl I know you are brave. And I know you have the “chutzpah” to be who you want to be on Monday and the confidence to wear whatever costume you like best, and look amazing. Bubbe? Yes, Pearl? Would you help me make a Moedecai costume? Bubbe smiled. I’m glad you asked, I have just the material..
On Monday morning Pearls legs were shaking. You look great! Ima said. Have a great time sweetie. And most importantly, be YOU! She hugged her mom and went inside. All her friends were in their costumes, some girls were Esther, some boys were Mordecai or Haman, some kids were dressed like animals, Shoshana was Hello Kitty. Pearl wished she was wearing a dress like Esther or Anna or Elsa or someone. But instead she wore a pair of brown pants and dark brown long shirt and her hair was tucked under a cap and she wore a short wig. But she felt great because she was exactly who she wanted to be. She spotted a kid dressed like Esther but they didn’t exactly look like one of the girls. Their hair kept slipping, like it wasn’t their hair at all. She walked towards the kids. Sam? She exclaimed. Is that YOU in there? Pearl? You’re a boy? No, she responded. I’m Mordecai. And I’m Esther, he said. Wow Sam, she said you’re the bravest superhero I know. Well except for maybe me, she said and they laughed.
After the Purim parade Morah Naomi and Principal Zev gave out awards for the best costumes in different categories. Pearl was awarded the best Moredecai costume and all of her friends clapped. They asked some questions about why she decided to dress like a boy. She replied that the fun of dressing up is that you can be exactly who you want to be. “You can be somebody different than who you are, someone you think is really cool.” And that is why she chose to dress up as the character she was. Sam won the most sparkly Esther costume, and when his friends asked him who he decided to dress up as Queen Esther he said, I like Batman, and Superman, and Spiderman. But I think Esther is the bravest hero of all. The class was quiet for a minute and Nathan raised his hand. Yes, Nathan, said Morah Naomi. I think Esther and Mordecai were brave and Pearl and Sam were brave too. .
The Rabbi smiled at the class. “Friends.” Purim is a holiday where we celebrate heroes. Heroes are brave people who were true to themselves to help others. Our friends Pearl and Sam were true to who they are. That is special and a good lesson. We all dressed up as who we wanted to be. And we enjoyed the day. Whether we are a boy or a girl dressed as a boy or a girl the important thing is we were being our true self. We all did that today. Being a hero sometimes means having courage to do something different. Dressing up is fun because we can discover what we like and who we admire. Chag Purim and never forget to be yourself, today and everyday!
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