Jewish students celebrate Purim holiday

Hundreds of students gathered yesterday to celebrate Purim by eating, drinking, gambling and giving a little money to charity. To kick off this festive Jewish holiday -- which marks the Jews' victory over a plot to annihilate them in Biblical Persia -- the Steinhardt Jewish Heritage Program co-sponsored "It's Purim?", an evening of entertainment and fun. The event began with a manic reading of the Megillah, or Scroll of Esther, which recounts the story of Purim. The reading was followed by a spirited parade down Locust Walk led by the Philadelphia Mummers, the Lubavitch House's band and various juggling groups. "I dig the [Mummers] costumes," Wharton sophomore David Chalom said. "They're like 20 Elvises." The night ended with more food and entertainment in Houston Hall, where students tried their luck at the assorted casino games. "I'm having more fun than I do at Atlantic City," Wharton Junior Scott Kurland said. "And I'm losing a lot less money." But the money lost at the casinos was donated to charity -- the Ronald McDonald House of West Philadelphia and Children of Chernobyl. Performances by Pennsylvania 6-5000 and Mask and Wig topped off the evening. "I sure as hell don't know what's going on," College sophomore John Mucha said. "But it's a lot of fun." College sophomore Batya Kaufman said she was enjoying the holiday celebration. "I love Purim cause you get to be silly and celebrate your Judaism at the same time," she said. According to College junior Michelle Nadler, Steinhardt had been planning the event for some time. The event was also sponsored by the Alpha Epsilon Pi, Sigma Alpha Mu, Tau Epsilon Phi and Zeta Beta Tau fraternities, in conjunction with a number of local businesses.