purim

Sign up for Jewish books and holiday resources!

February 27, 2023

Did you know that every child under age 12 in your family can receive their own FREE book each month?

PJ Library sends free, award-winning books that celebrate Jewish values and culture to families with children from birth through 8 years old. Signing up is easy and takes less than 3 minutes.  Join today!

PJ Our Way (PJOW) is for kids ages 9-12, and they choose their own books each month, creating a tailored experience totally based on their own interests and reading level. Learn more and sign up your middle grade reader.

Both programs are open to families raising Jewish children.

If you would like to share more about Jewish holidays and traditions with your child, please visit the PJ Library Holiday Hub for ideas, recipes, videos, and more.

For the upcoming holiday of Purim (starts at sundown on Monday, March 6^th), traditions include

· Dressing up

· Telling the story of the holiday from the Book of Esther

· Using groggers (noisemakers) to drown out the name of the villain in the story

· Sharing gifts of food with friends,

· Eating hamantaschen (filled triangular cookies), and

· Donating to those in need.

Get ideas to celebrate at home on the PJ Library Purim Holiday HubPJ Library Purim Holiday Hub, or find an event to celebrate in the community at the local PJ Library events page.

PJ Library and PJ Our Way in Greater Washington are made possible by The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, and generous local donors.

Purim activities and Carnivirtual event from PJ Library

February 17, 2021

Purim is coming up soon; February 25-26, and PJ Library wants to remind you of the free books, podcast episodes, and excellent resources for families. Is your child receiving free books from PJ Library?

The message of Purim goes way beyond costumes and festive food. Kids and parents alike will find discussion-starters in the Purim story, so that we can all explore the meaning of bravery and heroism in ways that are meaningful and kid-friendly.

PJ Library has a plethora of amazing resources for your family to celebrate with:

· Listen to the Purim Story for Kids on the PJ Library podcast

· Explore Five PJ Library books about Purim

· Purim recipes

· Make your own Mishloach Manot Basket with a printable origami template

As a reminder you can join PJ Library for free and every kid likes receiving mail AND books! The award-winning non-profit sends more than 200,000 books per month to families raising Jewish children across North America (since their founding in 2005, they’ve shipped more than 12 million books overall!). Expertly curated, the age-specific monthly selections, for children ages 6 mos. to 8 years old, exemplify the very best of Jewish children’s literature and offer books certain to capture children’s imaginations with cheerful characters, compelling stories, and vibrant illustrations.

Purim Carnivirtual: Sunday, February 21, 4:30‑5:30 PM

Celebrate Purim as a family with a virtual carnival of games! PJ Library has invited mainstages to provide entertainment and lead a fun and interactive “family game night.” Costumes optional. Most appreciated by ages 5-9. Cost is $10 per family

This program is a collaboration between The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, PJ Library, and the following partners: Agudas Achim Congregation, Bender JCC of Greater Washington, Capital Camps, Congregation Olam Tikvah, Edlavitch DCJCC, HoneymoonIsrael, Pozez JCC of Northern Virginia’s Growing Jewish Families in Northern Virginia, Ramah Day Camp of Greater Washington, DC, and Temple Shalom.

The fun, festive holiday of Purim is exuberant, colorful and full of joy

February 20, 2020

Let PJ Library’s unique, family-friendly ideas enliven your family celebrations this March! The early springtime holiday of Purim, with all of its festive fun, is an especially accessible holiday for children; this year, the holiday falls on March 9th-10th.

On Purim, it’s customary to listen to the biblical Book of Esther (also known as the Megillah in Hebrew), put on comic productions of the story of Purim called purimspiels (Yiddish for “plays”), dress up in costumes as the famous characters from the story, bake (and eat!) hamantaschen, shake Purim groggers (noisemakers), give gift baskets (mishloach manot) to friends and do tzedakah and other good works to spread joy and help the needy.

This Purim, PJ Library wants to help families celebrate in fun and unique ways, so they’ve created 18 great ideas sure to spur creativity and togetherness. Whether your children have never dressed for Purim before or baked a classic, delicious hamantaschen – or you’re just tired of the same old routine – check out these enjoyable activities! And, for more, families are welcome to visit PJ Library’s Purim Hub!

If you currently receive PJ Library books, be on the lookout for the special February mailing, which contains a Purim gift basket to make and decorate!

A program of the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, PJ Library sends more than two hundred ten thousand expertly curated books to families raising Jewish children – every month, at no cost to subscribers. Families raising Jewish children may subscribe here, tapping in to a wealth of information, parenting resources and community events as well as free books.

Weekend Picks in and around Washington, DC

March 2, 2018

Badlands has launched Weekend Programs. Prices include 1 hour of play and a 1 hour workshop. This weekend your child can learn about lava and volcanoes and magnetic slime, age dependent.

The Atlas INTERSECTIONS Festival is back– February 22 – March 11, 2018 and is about presenting excellent art in all its forms that inspires a community to connect and create a vibrant neighborhood, city, and world. Now in its 9th season, INTERSECTIONS is a key layer in DC’s dynamic arts scene. New this year, a workshop series and an expanded Youth Summit – a full day of performances by young people followed by a youth-led summit. Here are a few free family fun days to check out.

Saturday-

9:00am-12:00pm: Home Depot Kids Workshop: Periscope
Hone your powers of observation in our hands-on workshop. Just like an above-water viewfinder or historical trench optical instrument, you and your child can construct a periscope to expand your view. Once the periscope is built, your child can decorate it with paint and stickers. All Kids Workshop attendees must be accompanied by a parent or adult at all times. All kids get to keep their craft, receive a FREE certificate of achievement, a Workshop Apron, and a commemorative pin while supplies last. Children must be present at the store to participate in the workshop and receive the kit, apron, and pin.

9:00am-11:30am: The Children’s House of Washington Montessori School Open House
Special Guest Patti Harburger, CHOW Founding Director, will speak about the importance of mathematics and language in a Montessori education.

9:30am AND 11:00am: Traveling Lantern: Pinocchio at National Theatre
A little wooden marionette is lovingly created by a master craftsmen…but what a bad little puppet he turns out to be! He’s selfish and greedy, and he lies. He doesn’t listen to the good counsel of anyone: his father Gepetto, a philospher Cricket, or a Blue Fairy. After many hair raising adventures, Pinocchio finally learns what it takes to become human…kindness, compassion, loyalty, hard work, and selflessness. Free

10:00am: Rainbow Rock Live at Avalon Theatre
Are you ready to rock the rainbow? Join the Rainbow Rock Band as they entertain your little dudes with tunes, laughs and more! Winners of a Parents’ Choice Fun Stuff Award for their debut CD, “Meet the Rainbow,” an absolute mix of musical genres from folk, pop rock to rockabilly, all the while being educational and fun. Your child will learn about shapes, colors, movement, and more! The Rainbow Rock Band encourages all rainbow rockers to participate in the show either on the microphone or at their seat. Either way your little one is sure to have fun! $8 / $6.50 (Children under 2 are free)

10:00am-2:00pm: Hirshhorn: Art Pop-Up + Library Program
Check it out! Find our cart in the galleries and check out a fun kit full of our favorite finds for kids. Each kit is an art meets reading adventure, with a special theme, children’s book, suggested artworks for viewing, and hands-on art making materials.

10:30am-11:15am: Saturday Song Circle at Imagination Stage
You and your child are invited to a fun, interactive musical experience! An Early Childhood Teaching Artist explores a popular children’s book with your family through song and musical instruments, and you will receive a list of all the songs to practice at home. Barnyard Dance is the featured story.

Sunday-

9:30am-11:00am AND 2:30pm-4:00pm: Model Airplane Construction at National Building Museum
Are you an aspiring aviator or a pilot with potential? Want to learn what keeps a plane in the air? Construct your own rubber-band-propelled model airplane and learn about aeronautics with the D.C. Maxecuters, then try a test flight in the National Building Museum’s Great Hall. Cost per plane/child: $15 Member | $20 Non-member. Ages 8 and up, adult assistance required. Adults do not need to purchase a separate ticket, unless they would like to make their own plane.

10:00am-12:00pm: Purim Carnival at DCJCC
When was the last time you dressed up like a queen or king? Now is your chance – the EDCJCC’s Purim Carnival is the perfect time for children and adults to dress up and celebrate this festive annual holiday! Join us for carnival games, arts & crafts, hamantaschen (yummy Purim treats), songs and a Purim play! Don’t forget your costume! Please bring an unexpired, unopened food item in a cardboard box (like macaroni and cheese or couscous) to decorate as a grogger to use during the Purim play. We will then donate them to those in need in our community. Price per family: $23

11:00am-11:45am: Sunday Funday at Imagination Stage
Bring your favorite stories to life through dramatic play activities, music, movement, and visual art. Each session you leave with a special take-home item we used or created that day, as well as a Parent Pack to extend the experience at home. These popular workshops are themed around beloved children’s books. Little Blue Truck is the featured story.

10:30am-11:30am: Sensory-Friendly Purim Celebration at Washington Hebrew Congregation
Does your child cover their ears in a crowd? Do they avoid loud noises? We will minimize the noise and other sensory input but maximize the fun! Join us for crafts, an interactive reading of the Purim story (megillah), a mitzvah (good deed) project and treats to take home. Costumes encouraged but not required.$5 per family, plus bring a canned good to donate. Best for 4-8 year olds. Please pre-register as space is limited. This program is a collaboration of PJ Library in Greater Washington, Washington Hebrew Congregation and The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington.

11:00am-2:00pm: The Rumpus Room: A Family Dance Party at U Street Music Hall
Welcome to the Rumpus Room, a daytime dance party for families, with sounds provided by DC’s top club DJs (who all happen to be parents themselves). Created by DJs who wanted to share the nightclub experience with their kids, the Rumpus Room adapts the club environment (think disco ball, lights, and of course music) into safe family-friendly fun. Get ready for a dance floor filled with little ones, parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles. The soundtrack will be a family-friendly mix of dance hits and classics, all at a kid-friendly volume. We provide the shakers, hula-hoops, beach balls and other props. You come to dance. Rumpus Room is designed for kids 8 and under and their caregivers, but older siblings are welcome.

1:30pm AND 4:00pm: National Symphony Orchestra Music for Young Audiences: Two Divas and a Bear at The Kennedy Center
What happens when you bring together a concert violinist, an opera singer, and everyone’s favorite stuffed animal? You get Two Divas and a Bear! Join NSO violinist Marissa Regni and soprano Kari Paludan as they explore the human voice. As it turns out, the violin has a voice, too! As you listen to Schubert’s The Trout, Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise, and Rossini’s Two Cats, you’ll discover that the strings of the violin are very similar to our very own vocal cords. Most enjoyed by age 3 and up. All patrons, regardless of age, must have a ticket. Come early for a Musical Instrument “Petting Zoo.” Starting one hour before the concert, hands-on activities let children get up close with the instruments they’ll see played on the stage.

2:00pm: Doktor Kaboom by McLean Community Center at the Old Firehouse
Doktor Kaboom is an over-the-top German physicist with a passion for science that knows no bounds. Sporting chrome goggles, orange lab coat, motorcycle boots and wicked cool hair, Doktor Kaboom travels the world, thrilling adults and children alike with his explosive comedic style of science experiments designed to involve, excite, educate and entertain! For ages 7+

Weekend Theatre-

Feb 9 – March 31: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day at Adventure Theatre

Feb 10 – March 18: The Princess & The Pauper: A Bollywood Tale at Imagination Stage

March 2 -24: Circulo/Circle at Encore Stage & Studio

March 3 – 4: Pinkalicious at Blackrock Center

March 3 – 17: VolcanO: Tales from El Salvador at GALA Theater

Chick rental is live at Rocklands Farm! The Chick Rental service is an educational opportunity for families, friends, school groups to take care of a pair adorable chicks for one week. Each rental includes everything you need for the week; their little home, feed, feeding and watering dishes, and care instructions. Link to reserve your chicks here. We are looking forward to seeing everyone out again this year!

Weekend Picks March 10-12

March 10, 2017

Saturday-

9:30am AND 11:00am: Christylez Bacon – Human Beatbox at National Theatre
(1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW)
Human Beatbox – Christylez Bacon, GRAMMY nominated Progressive Hip-Hop artist combines rhyming, storytelling and interactive call and response choruses with diverse instrumentation to deliver a message of cultural acceptance & unification blending traditional elements of musical styles from jazz to hip-hop. Tickets are free.

10:00am-2:00pm: Concord-St.Andrew’s Cooperative Nursery School Spring Fair
(5910 Goldsboro Rd. Bethesda, MD 20817)
Join the Concord-St. Andrew’s Cooperative Nursery School Community (CSA) for the first annual CSA Spring Fair! This family-focused event will feature fun activities for all ages. Rolling Brick pizza will be baking personalized pies on site and sweet treats can be purchased from the CSA Bakery. In addition, vendors from our favorite local sports, camps, and arts program will be on to showcase their offerings. Cost: $5/person and free for children under 2 -Performances by The Great Zucchini (11am) and Groovy Nate (1pm), Two bounce houses, Construction Zone” and “Bang and Clang” play areas, Face painting, Games and more.

10:00am: You & Me Song Circle with Imagination Stage at Avalon Theatre
(5612 Connecticut Ave NW)
You and your child are invited to shake, whistle, giggle, and wiggle in this fun, interactive musical experience with Imagination Stage! In this workshop, an Early Childhood Teaching Artist accompanied by a live percussionist explores a popular children’s book with your family through song, movement, and instrument play. Best for ages 1-5, but all are welcome! Tickets: $8 / $6.50 members.

11:00am-2:00pm: Kids in the Castle at the Heurich House Museum
(1307 New Hampshire Avenue NW Washington, DC 20036)
This family-friendly event allows visitors to explore the gilded details of the Heurich family home at their own pace. The first floor, second floor, and basement will be open for guests. The museum garden will also be open to play and relax in, after going through the house. Children and their parents are invited to wander through the house and complete a scavenger hunt to win prizes. No reservations are required for this event. Since opening its doors, the Heurich House Museum has had restricted access for children. This event, the first in a series of Kids in the Castle events throughout the year, allows children to experience the Heurich House Museum in a way they have not been able to before. Let their imaginations wander as they experience this unique piece of local history.

11:00am-12:00pm: Tom Teasley: A Journey Around the World Through Music at Glenallan Elementary School
(12520 Heurich Road, Wheaton, MD 20902)
Celebrate Music in Our Schools Month with Tom Teasley, award-winning percussionist, world musician and composer. Tom returns to Wheaton after dazzling Season One audiences with an inspiring cross-cultural musical journey around the world, weaving ancient musical traditions with modern technology. A unique performance not to be missed! Great for all ages and free.

3:00pm-5:00pm: Dr. Seuss on the Loose Dance Party at Kensington Town Hall
(3710 Mitchell St., Kensington MD 20895)
Dance, wiggle and giggle with Aaron Anderson of A-Squad Entertainment. Create crafty masterpieces and enjoy the Dr. Seuss Read-a-Thon Room. Don’t miss the Seuss-themed raffle. $5 per person, $20 max per family. All ages welcome (recommended for ages 18 months – 6 years). Please bring a book for our book drive for Crossway Community in Kensington. RSVP here.

Sunday-

9:30am-11:00am AND 2:30pm-4:00pm: Model Airplane Workshop at National Building Museum
(401 F Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001)
Workshop details: Are you an aspiring aviator or a pilot with potential? Want to learn what keeps a plane in the air? Construct your own rubber-band-propelled model airplane and learn about aeronautics with the D.C. Maxecuters, then try a test flight in the National Building Museum’s Great Hall. Cost per plane/child: $15 Member | $20 Non-member. Ages 8 and up, adult assistance required. Adults do not need to purchase a separate ticket, unless they would like to make their own plane.

11:00am-4:00pm: Flying in the Great Hall at National Building Museum
(401 F Street NW Washington, D.C. 20001)
Witness death-defying feats of aeronautics – well, model aeronautics, anyway – when the D.C. Maxecuters return to fly their model airplanes in the Museum’s Great Hall. The D.C. Maxecuters have been sharing their love of model aviation with the District of Columbia for over sixty years. Once again, the Maxecuters take-off in the Museum’s Great Hall, sending both rubber band- and electric-powered model planes soaring overhead. FREE, drop-in program. All ages.

PJ Library’s Sensory-Friendly Purim Celebrations

This event is being held in three locations on March 12–pick the one that is most convenient for you:
DC: Washington Hebrew Congregation (10:30 am)
MD: Congregation B’nai Tzedek Potomac (1:30 pm)
VA: Congregation Olam Tikvah (1:30 pm)

Does your child cover their ears in a crowd? Do they avoid loud noises? Do you dread the chaos of a large Purim story reading? Then this may be the perfect, authentic Purim experience for your family. Join PJ Library on for crafts, an interactive reading of the Purim story (megillah), with quiet areas to take a break, a mitzvah (good deed) project and treats to take home. Costumes encouraged but not required. Best for grades K-4. Fun for the whole family! $5 per family, plus bring a canned good to donate.

A few shows to catch this weekend include Nutt & Bolt and A Night at the Wax Museum and many more!

Keep in mind these upcoming events you may need to reserve a spot to attend.