The brightest and happiest celebration Purim was conducted by our community in the House of Friendship, the home of all national cultural organisations in the region. The concert stage was decorated in the Purim style, the audience wore masks and capes and was armed with rattles. The celebration promised to be filled with fun. Piotr Rubinstein, the director of Hesed, opened Purim with his welcome.

Under the direction of Anastasia Palant, the Youth Ensemble commenced their preparations well in advance of the day and had extensive rehearsals. Their performance was outstanding and exceeded everyone’s expectations. The audience responded with applause and shouted "Bravo!" The Master of Ceremonies for the concert was the manager of the Community Centre Evgenia Parhomenko. She also played the part of the Persian king Ahashverosh with good success. The part of Princess Vashti was expressively played by Olga Kuperman. The children from the Youth Ensemble took parts of the national heroes: Ester was played by Natasha Liuks, Aman by Volodia Aleksanin, Mordehay by Evgeniy Aronovich. Another very active participant in the concert was the Children Programme Organiser, Evgeniya Logvininko, who also performed a song. The concert programme was very well suited for Purim.

The young singer Vladimir Alexanin performed several favourites in Hebrew such as "Shalom Haverim!", "Evenu Shalom Aleihem", "Hava Nagila," "Shalom, My Friend, Shalom," and several others. He received very enthusiastic applause. Anna Fisenko and Ksenia Slozhenkina, participants of "Freilehe Kinder" festival in Karaganda, were also very warmly received. This duo always sings at all celebrations and performs Jewish and Russian songs. They also performed in the other speciality, their eastern dances causing especially enthusiastic ovations. Nine year old Fedia Gafurov was warmly received for his recital of poetry by Agniya Barto, dedicated to animal lovers.

The costumes of all the participants of Purimshpil were beautifully done. And for the whole evening we had the pleasure of having excellent musicians Vadim Chashkov, who played the clarinet, and the violinist Anastasiya Puchkova. Live music was exciting! Nikita Bogorosh, the sound and lighting engineer, assisted in making the concert a success.

After the concert everyone moved to the second floor into the hall which usually serves as an exhibition venue for the House of Friendship, and where works of the members of "Inspiration" Club were presented. In the hall tables with wine, fruit, pies, gomentash, sweets and tea were available for the participants of Purim. Live music and dances started with old and young taking part in the Purim discotheque. Under the direction of Ninela Berelovich everyone sang "Hava Nagila." Laughter sounded as the newest Jewish jokes made rounds around the tables.

The celebration was a success, no one wanted to part for a long time. The party lasted until late night.

Lidiya Kazakevich.