Glow in the Dark Purim Lights Up Sumy, Ukraine

As darkness continues to reign in their city, the Shluchim in Sumy, Ukraine Rabbi Yechiel Shlomo and Rochi Levitansky arranged their grand Purim Seudah this year glowing in the dark – Yisron Ha’Or Min Ha’choshech!

As darkness continues to reign in their city, the Shluchim in Sumy, Ukraine Rabbi Yechiel Shlomo and Rochi Levitansky arranged their grand Purim Seudah this year glowing in the dark – Yisron Ha’Or Min Ha’choshech!

After Purim’s plans last year were harshly halted and the community was scattered all over the world, everyone was so excited and grateful to be celebrating together again in the Shul.

Calls were made to every Yid in the city. The new, the old, the misplaced… every Jew would be reached no matter if they could come personally or not. In addition, the Shluchim’s boys learning in Yeshivos in Europe made the 30-hour trip home with their friends to bring Purim to the Yidden in the two neighboring cities of Konotop and Shostka.

Back in Sumy, the Shluchim with their children split into groups and spread out through the city, visiting the elderly and homebound all day, to fulfill the Mitzvos of Purim with hot Seudas Purim lunch and beautiful Mishloach Monos packages, thanks to the Federation of Jewish communities in Ukraine.

Towards evening people began coming to the Shul for the grand Purim Seuda. Entering the shul building they were greeted by the shluchim kids who helped everyone with the Mitzva of matonos l’evyonim and washed their hands for Hamotzi making Brochos with each one.

Upstairs the crowd was seated by tables with a festive colorful meal. They each got a glow-in-the-dark bracelet and necklace to wear and exchanged Mishloach Monos boxes with each other which were generously provided by the Chabad JRNU.

The Megilla was read and then the Rabbi introduced the theme of the evening – “Surrounded by darkness in every corner, we need to find the good that shines..”. Then the children from the Or Avner afterschool program read poems in Ukrainian about Purim and led the crowd in Purim songs.

A professional entertainer ran the evening playing games with the crowd; adults and young alike, all bringing out this theme. A magician then took the stage. In continuing with the theme he kept emphasizing, “I do not do magic! I am just fooling you…You think you are seeing one thing but really it’s not that at all…”

Once it was dark outside, everything in the room began to glow and shine and a special Purim atmosphere could be felt. Sumy hasn’t seen such a Purim in two years since the Purim before the war began. People felt strengthened and it was so meaningful to many to laugh, sing and celebrate again all together and focus only on the good and happy things in their lives, forgetting the war and sirens for a few hours. As always, the evening ended with the famous dance of kazatzka by the shluchim kids.

Community members were so moved and uplifted, they couldn’t stop thanking the shluchim for arranging the Party.

Perhaps the most meaningful from all of the feedback they got from Purim was from a few community members, brand new to Yiddishkeit, who had come to the party and decided to join the weekly learning classes. One woman said: “How did I not know about all this before?”