Microsoft word - megillah_abridged_in_english_purim_5769_for_friday_letter.doc

Solomon Schechter Day School of Nassau County
Purim 5769

Schechter Is A Class Act!

On Purim this year, the whole school will be performing the story of the
Megillah Esther. The teachers will be narrating the story and each class will
present a “Class Act.” By a lottery (literally in Hebrew, “Purim”) each class
has selected a Chapter (or part of a big chapter) that they will present in a
creative way to the rest of the school. Find your class’ piece of the story
below.
Over the President’s week vacation, your mission, if you should decide to
accept it, is to come up with a great idea for how your class can present your
chapter of the Purim story. After the vacation, bring your idea into school.
All the children in your class who came up with creative ideas will present
them to the class. As a group, you will then decide which idea to perform on
Purim. Maybe your class will choose one person’s idea, or maybe your class
will decide to combine a few good ideas into one act. Then you will rehearse
your Class Act.
The big rule is that everyone in the class will participate in the Class Act.
What kind of presentations will the classes make? Don’t worry about
telling all the details. Remember, the teachers will be narrating the story.
Your act should be funny or cute and include everyone. You can write a rap,
make up a dance, sing a real song, make up new words to an existing song, do
a pantomime, or whatever else you can think of.
So put on your creative thinking cap and let the great ideas flow!

Your class’ piece of the Purim Story is:

CLASS 4P
Part 1 - Megillah Chapter 1
In the land of Persia, in a city called Shushan, an incredible story took place and was
recorded in the Tanach. It took place many, many years ago.
King Achashverosh was having a big party and asked his wife, Vashti, to dance for his
friends. Well, being a woman who never dances for other men, she quite rightly refused.
“No way!” said Vashti. Not for you or any of your friends!” This certainly made the
king quite angry. In a fit of anger, he banished her from the land.
CLASS 5P
Part 2 - Megillah Chapter 2
Waking up, King Achashverosh realized he was quite lonely. He needed a new wife. So
he decided to have a beauty contest. He asked all the women who wanted to be the new
Queen to come to his palace and model for him.
CLASS 2A
Part 3 - Megillah Chapter 2, continued
The lovely Esther – some called her Hadassah – went to the palace to try out to be the
new queen. Her uncle Mordechai told her not to tell the King she was Jewish. He must
have known that somehow Esther was going to help the Jewish people – so she needed to
keep it a secret. And, as luck would have it, Achashverosh chose Esther to be the new
Queen.
CLASS 3A
Part 4 - Megillah, Chapter 3
One day Mordechai was sitting outside the gates of the city. He overheard two men
plotting to kill the king. Mordechai ran to the palace to let them know.
The evil Haman loved to hear people to tell him how great he was. What a big swelled
head he had! Mordechai refused to bow down to Haman. This made the evil Haman
really, really, really angry. He made gallows to hang Mordechai. The king agreed for
Haman to do away with all the Jews in Shushan.
CLASS 2P
Part 5 - Megillah, Chapter 3, continued
Haman went to the king and convinced him to hang Mordechai and all the Jews. How
terrible! Mordechai went to Queen Esther and told her she needed to help. “Go to King
Achashverosh and tell him to save us.”

CLASS 3P
Part 6 - Megillah, Chapter 4
Mordechai knew that the only hope for the Jewish people was for Esther to save them!
Mordechai told Esther that she must go to the king and tell him that she is Jewish. If
Haman goes through with his plan, Esther will be killed with the rest of the Jews. But
Queen Esther was very afraid. She fasted to get courage to help her people.
CLASS 5A
Part 7 - Megillah, Chapter 5
Esther came before the king and he extended his scepter. “What is your wish? Whatever
you want Esther. Just tell me what you want and it’s yours.” She told the king that she
wanted to make a party for the King and Haman.
CLASS 3C
Part 8 - Megillah, Chapter 6
Later that night, the king couldn’t sleep so he read his journal. He read about how
Mordechai had saved his life by reporting the plot. And suddenly Haman came to his
royal bedroom.
The King asked Haman, “What would you do with a person who helped save the life of
the king?” Haman, of course, thought the king was talking about him!
So he told the king to take that person who saved the king’s life around the city on a
horse. Low and behold, the king really wanted to honor Mordechai. So Haman had to
lead Mordechai around on a horse.
CLASS 2C
Part 9 - Megillah, Chapter 7
A few days later, Queen Esther held the feast. King Ahashverosh asked the Queen Esther
what her wish was. She told king that an evil man had a terrible plan to hurt her and the
Jews. “Who is this evil man?” asked the king. Esther pointed and said, “It is
HAMAN!!” Well, the king said, “enough!” Take Haman and hang him on the gallows he
set up for Mordechai.

CLASS 4A
Part 10 - Megillah, the end of the story
So Haman and his ten evil sons were hanged and the Jewish people were saved! The
Jews were happy. They decided to celebrate Purim every year to remember how brave
people can help others. They read the Megilah, they give their friends gifts, and they give
tzedakah to poor people to remember the great day when the Jews were saved. Hooray!

Source: http://www.ssdsnassau.net/uploads/651_4.pdf