Purim was celebrated at Temple Beth El with the reading of the Megillah, which tells the story of the victory of the Jewish community in Persia, led by Queen Esther and her cousin Mordecai.

They discovered that Prime Minister Haman and King Ahashverosh were plotting to kill all the Jews.

But Esther convinced the king not to go ahead with the plan and had Haman killed instead.

So the story is read and because of the happy outcome, a celebration with costumes, games, noisemakers, and fun is held.

It is a joyous celebration.

There is also a custom of giving gifts of sweets to at least one friend.

During the reading of the Book of Esther (Megillah) whenever the name of Haman is read, jeers or the sounding of noisemakers to blot out his name are sounded.

Rabbi Re'em and other Temple Beth El members read the Book of Esther from a parchment scroll.

The readers read with varying degrees of emotion and play-acting.

During the evening, a contest was held to see who wore the best costume.

Traditionally members come dressed as Esther, Mordecai, Haman or the King, but there was only one Queen Esther.

The best costumed children, were brothers, Raphael and Julian Ettinger-Finley, who dressed as "The Fiddler on the Roof," including the roof, and Julian, who dressed at ET.

Religious School Director Alicia Zahn was named the best costumed adult.

Best costumed group was Shari Spark, her husband Mark Goldstein and Cantor Kevin Wartell, who dressed as characters from Downton Abbey.

After judging of the costumes and reading of the Book of Esther, there was a carnival with games of chance,winning of tickets and prizes, and finally ice cream and hamentashen, the cookie baked especially for Purim, shaped like Haman's three-cornered hat.