‘This is a holiday when it is customary to sincerely have fun leaving all sorrows behind the door’
Purim was celebrated at Mishpahteinu Kazan Jewish school
Today, the traditional Jewish holiday of Purim was celebrated at Kazan school No. 12, which is unofficially named Mishpahteinu. In honour of the event, teachers, students and their parents dressed up in carnival costumes and staged several theatrical performances. Chief architect of Kazan Ilsiyar Tukhvatullina was the special guest — the children presented her with their projects for the improvement of the school territory. Read more about it in a report of Realnoe Vremya.
Feast of life
Purim is a holiday of the salvation of the Jewish people from death. The adviser of the Persian King Artaxerxes, Haman, wanted to exterminate the Jews, but the king's wife Esther, who was Jewish, saved her people.
On 14 March, this holiday was celebrated in School No. 12 on Shigabutdin Marjani Street known to Kazan residents as the Jewish school — children and adults dressed in fancy dress costumes and performed plays illustrating historical events — Purimshpili. Traditionally, on this day, they prepare Haman's ears — shortbread triangular cookies with a sweet filling called gomentashi.
“In honour of the holiday, we hold theatrical performances every year. The school has an informal name Our Family, so not only teachers and students take part, but also their parents. This is a very important moment for us. Today you can see that everyone is in very bright costumes, that the school is very noisy, very beautiful — like a carnival. We have been preparing for this event for a long time,” shared the school's Director Rozaliya Kozlovskaya.
Each class prepares Purimshpil — in its own interpretation. The day before, the senior classes showed their productions, and today it is the turn of the little ones.
“It was very funny, interesting — we laughed heartily. Of course, we looked at the children's costumes — some were funny, some were elegant and beautiful. It is nice that someone is seriously preparing for the holiday,” said school student Ksenia Yakovleva.
On this day, it is also customary to read the sacred scroll of Esther — a special book that tells about the holiday itself and the feat of the fearless Persian Jewish queen. And when the name of Haman is pronounced, it is necessary to rattle in rattles, expressing contempt for the adviser.
“Usually large groups — a community of several families — gather for the holiday. They dress up, read the scroll, rattle the rattles, show Purimshpiels and have fun. This is a holiday when it is customary to have fun from the heart, leaving all sorrows at the door. It is customary to rejoice in the fact that we are alive,” said schoolgirl Yelizaveta Blagodarova.
Four improvement projects
The special guest of the holiday was the chief architect of Kazan Ilsiyar Tukhvatullina. The students presented her with their projects for the improvement of the school territory.
The children prepared four projects — all of them concern the school territory from the Kaban Lake side. One idea proposes a new façade solution, three — small architectural forms.
“Our school is located in one of the most beautiful places in Kazan — the Old Tatar Settlement. Now there is a large-scale transformation of the entire territory of Lake Kaban, and since we are part of this zone, we also want to take part in the renovations. We want the children to be proud to say that their project has been implemented,” said Kozlovskaya.
The projects have been shown, now it's time to coordinate them with all authorities. The school principal expressed hope that the children's ideas will be implemented by 1 September.
“Children treat school differently when they participate in its development”
The practice of children's participation in making important decisions at School No. 12 is not the first time. According to Kozlovskaya, all changes in the institution occur through joint work with children:
“We discuss all this with children and parents. The participation of children and parents is a mandatory, integral part of any updates. This is our common home, and we must consult with everyone on how to make it ideal.”
For example, two canteens have already been renovated at the school. The students themselves took part in the design development. The wishes of each child were taken into account.
“Children come to my office with their ideas, tell me what they have, how they want to improve our school,” the director shared her experience. “They don’t need to be forced — they always have something to offer. Our task as adults is to support their ideas and develop the potential of each child.”
If there are a lot of ideas, all proposals are submitted for discussion to the school council. Based on its results, the children vote for the best option — and it forms the basis of the project:
“Children need to be involved in such processes. Children treat school completely differently when they participate in its development. It is necessary to care about every child. And as a result, we have happy students.”