400 young European Jews to celebrate the festival of Purim in Seville

The old Jewish quarter of Sevilla.

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BRUSSELS (EJP)---Around 400 young European Jews are expected to join  the European Centre for Jewish Students (ECJS) in celebrating the Jewish festival of  Purim in Seville, a city in Spain featured by art, culture and history.

The event will take place 18- 21 March.

Purim is known as the most festive of Jewish holidays, a time of prizes, noisemakers, costumes and treats. The festival commemorates a major victory over oppression against Jews and is recounted in the Megillah, the scroll of the story of Esther.

The Jewish community of Seville was once one of the largest in Spain. But with the Spanish Inquisition in 1478 life became very difficult for Jews. They were no longer allowed to hold positions of power and then ultimately practising Judaism became illegal. The Spanish Jews had to choose between converting to Christianity or losing their lives. Many Jews chose to convert to Christianity while practising Judaism in secret.

Purim was a particularly important holiday for these hidden Jews. They could not risk being caught reading the Megillah and making noise at the sound of Haman’s name. They had to find other ways to mark the holiday. Just as Queen Esther had done centuries before, the hidden Jews chose to fast for up to three days to show their commitment to their faith.  They related to Queen Esther, since she also had to hide her religion.

That’s why celebrating Purim in Seville with such a great number of young Jews from all over Europe is especially significant, says the ECJS.

"After the Spanish Jews were forced to keep their religion a secret for so many years the young, the European group will be able to celebrate the festival openly with pride attesting to the fact that Jewish spirit of Spain lives on," says Victoria Braham, who organizes the event.

Participants will be staying in a four star hotel located in the historic centre. They will have the chance to visit all the spectacular sights of the city including Casa Pilatos, a beautiful 16^th century palace and the Royal Palace of Alcazar and go on a Jewish heritage tour of Seville.

Purim celebrations will rage throughout the whole weekend. A high spirited Shabbat will be followed by a themed fancy dress Purim party on Saturday night. Megillah readings, a Purim seudah or festive meal, the exchanging of food and donations to charity will all be fulfilled in order to complete the full mitzvot (actions) of the festival of Purim.

According to Victoria Braham, "participants keep on coming back to our events not only for the great trips and exciting locations but more importantly for the warm atmosphere and life-long friendships that are made at every event." 

"I would recommend ECJS to anyone looking to broaden their horizons. I have met a very diverse crowd of young Jewish people from across Europe who are now my very good friends," says Coby Shelav from London.

Based in Brussels, ECJS is an international non-profit organization whose objective is to bring Jewish students and young professionals, aged 18 to 35, together in order to preserve and unify the Jewish European society.

The organization holds five main events a year all over Europe as well as arranging services and meals for Shabbatot and holidays, together with an annual Birthright trip to Israel.

 A sister organization, JEP, for Jewish European Professionals, is to be launched in in the next few weeks and is to cater specifically for single Jewish young professionals aged 27-38.

For more information on Purim on the Rocks in Sevilla, visitwww.purim.ecjs.org  or call ECJS’s office:  0032 22803765