On March 20th, 2008, the 14th of the Jewish month of Adar, 5768, the Gorsky-Kavkazi Jewish Center of New York once again presented an astonishing Grand Purim show at the Millennium Theatre in Brooklyn.
 
     “Dear Jew! Don’t be afraid, I am with you!” as the play was called, the fourth annual show of its kind and the biggest one, has attracted hundreds of people.
 
     Professionally organized by young leaders of the center, the evening began with a concert from some of the famous ethnic singers from New York -- Benny Avshalumov, R' Pinchus Bobrovsky and Pavel Yusufov. Crowds were cheering on as Boris Avezov led the evening.
      Among other performances was the upbeat Kavkazi folk dancing, lezginka, by the youthful and energizing Kavkaz Ensemble Dance Group. Sweeping across the floor (literally on their knees) with their swift warrior moves, the audience was mesmerized.
      As always, there was a Megillah reading of the Book of Esther, as is appropriate on the eve of Purim, followed by a smorgasbord of delicious gourmet Kavkazi food on the first floor. The audience also got a chance to participate in a free raffle with the purchase of tickets presented by the major private sponsors of the night. The grand prizes were a laptop, digital camera and an iPhone.
      The play itself, of course, was outrageously funny and with a powerful message. This year’s play touched on the theme of marriage and more grimly on intermarriage with non-Jews. Actors and viewers both took delight as men played the roles of female actors, such as the soap-opera-loving Gorsky mother, the voluptuous Ashkenazi matchmaker/businesswoman from Brighton, the non-Jewish almost-bride-to-be blonde Marusya, the reform Rabbi Christina, as well as the cool kids on the block, the hideous Haman and the righteous Mordechai.
      The ancient players of the original Purim shpiel, Mordechai the Jew and Haman the wicked, who wished to destroy all Jews, traveled through time to provide evidence of Jews remaining faithful to G-d. We are living in America, where Jewish organizations, centers and synagogues are found on every corner. It seems that immigrating here, it would be easier for us to stick to our heritage, yet we are lagging in our Jewish adherence and even have some among who choose to intermarry with non-Jews.
      At the end of the struggle, Yosya, the main character, prevailed over his desires to marry Marusya and stayed faithful to Judaism and his heritage. He willed that he has Jewish children and that the Jewish values live on though them.
      The event was organized in collaboration with a number of organizations, among them, the UJA-Federation of New York, COJECO, WCRJ-American Forum, Congregation Darchei Avoseinu, Brooklyn College Hillel, Chabad Lubavitch of Kensington, Kings Bay YM-YWHA and Bukharian Youth Center of Brooklyn.
     Over the years, the Grand Purim show has gained a reputation of grand humor and unity among the Russian-speaking Jewish communities of New York and the Gorsky-Kavkazi Jewish Center received fame for it. Now, everyone eagerly awaits the play every spring.

Lana Ifraimova

Photo: German Nisanov