NMCP Hosts Purim Jewish Holiday Service

Photo By Seaman Imani Daniels | PORTSMOUTH, Va. (March 10, 2020) The “Hamentasch” (three cornered pastry) was gifted to attendees during Naval Medical Center Portsmouth’s (NMCP) Purim Jewish Holiday service, on March 10. One of the most festive and popular of the Jewish holidays, Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from imminent doom at the hands of their enemies in ancient Persia as told in the biblical Book of Esther. (U.S. Navy Photo by Seaman Imani N. Daniels/Released)  

PORTSMOUTH, VA, UNITED STATES

03.10.2020

Story by Seaman Imani Daniels 

Naval Medical Center - Portsmouth

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (March 10, 2020) Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP) hosted the Purim Jewish Holiday service on March 10. One of the most festive and popular of the Jewish holidays, Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Jews from imminent doom at the hands of their enemies in ancient Persia as told in the biblical Book of Esther.

The most important Purim custom is reading the Purim story from the scroll of Esther, also called the Megillah. Jews usually attend synagogue for this special reading. Whenever the villain, Haman’s, name is mentioned people will boo, howl, hoot, and shake noisemakers to express their dislike of him. Hearing the Megillah reading is a commandment that applies to both women and men.

“The Book of Esther is one of our four major commandments that we have,” said Lt. Yonatan Warren, Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) training resident chaplain for NMCP’s Pastoral Care Services.

Purim, like Hanukkah, is viewed as a minor festival according to Jewish custom, but has been elevated to a major holiday as a result of the Jewish historical experience. The holiday is celebrated with costumes, parades, plays, carnivals, matanot l'evyonim (the giving of charity), special pastries and a festive meal featuring traditional foods.

“We emphasize the importance of unity and friendship by sending and receiving gifts of food to and from friends,” Warren said.

As the U. S. Navy's oldest, continuously-operating hospital since 1830, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth proudly serves past and present military members and their families. The nationally acclaimed, state of the art medical center, including its ten branch and TRICARE Prime clinics, serves the Hampton Roads area and additionally offers premier research and teaching programs designed to prepare new doctors, nurses and hospital corpsmen for future roles in healing and wellness.

• Date Taken: 03.10.2020
• Date Posted: 03.12.2020 17:20
• Story ID: 365079
• Location: PORTSMOUTH, VA, US