On Wednesday afternoon, the first night of Purim, the Ulyanovsk Jewish Community Center hosted a lively Purim celebration! The hall was filled to capacity with approximately 200 guests! The event started with a bang as the children from our education center performed through song and dance. The women’s club performed beautifully. The crowd was amazed to see a karate performance by the children from our “school of dreams”! Laughter filled the air as the youth club performed a Purimshpiel comedy. Chief Rabbi of the Ulyanovsk region, Rabbi Yossi Marozov, read the Megillah as the participants listened attentively and joyously stamped their feet and rattled “groggers” each time the name Haman was read. Then they were given Mishloach Manos to exchange with their friends. Two of our youth collected money for matanos l’evyonim – which was given local poor families on Purim. The annual costume contest doubled in size this year!