AJA Purim Carnival

Purim at AJA was filled with laughter, excitement, and plenty of festive chaos in the best possible way. The morning began with the entire school gathering in the MPR for a staff Purim Shpiel. This modern and humorous retelling of the Purim story had students laughing throughout, and of course the room erupted with enthusiastic boos every time Haman’s name was mentioned.

After the shpiel, students rotated through a series of Purim activity stations. One stop was the Megillah reading with Moreh Dave, where students listened to the story of Purim and joined in with their graggers at all the right moments. Another station brought students to the kitchen for baking, where they rolled, filled, and folded their own delicious hamantaschen.

The outdoor Purim Carnival, organized by our wonderful PTO, was a highlight of the day and buzzing with excitement. Students enjoyed a wide variety of creative booths and activities including Hamantaschen Toss, Esther’s Crown Craft, Masquerade Mask Making, Purim Story Trivia, and the ever-popular Shushan Shuffle Cake Walk. There were also plenty of energetic challenges like Haman’s Hat Knockdown, The King’s Court Bullseye, and Knock Down Haman bowling.

Face painting, hair chalk, and hair beads added extra sparkle, while giant bubbles kept the dance party atmosphere going. The carnival also featured inflatables, a bouncy obstacle course, and even a petting zoo with a wallaby, baby goats, bunnies, tortoises, and bearded dragons as part of Esther’s Animal Promenade. Thank you to the PTO and all the parent volunteers that made this possible!

With so many activities happening throughout the morning, there was truly something for every student to enjoy. From storytelling and baking to games, crafts, and bouncing, the day captured the joyful spirit of Purim and brought our whole school community together for a celebration full of fun, laughter, and ruach.