Every year, Jews celebrate Purim to commemorate the Queen Ester, who risked her throne and her life to save the Jewish people from Haman. When telling the story, it is tradition to shake a grogger (noisemaker) when saying Haman’s name.
In the March 9, 1973 issue of the Baltimore Jewish Times, the publication highlights the celebrations of Purim being planned by the Jewish Community Center.
“Festivities celebrating Purim, will begin this Saturday evening, March 10, at 8 o’clock, with a knowledge competition for teen-agers, and continue all day Sunday from 11 to 5 o’clock, with a basketball tournament, bake sale and Persian Flea Market, at the Jewish Community Center,” the article stated.
This year, in 2026, Purim fell on March 2, and was celebrated across the community by the JCC of Greater Baltimore, The Associated: Jewish Federation of Greater Baltimore and Synagogues alike.
Jewish schools like Ohr Chadash Academy on Park Heights Avenue hosted a full week of Purim fun include “Dress like a Teacher Day,” or “Anything but a Backpack” day.
“Special for the very small children will be a dramatic presentation of ‘Rumpelstiltskin,’” the article wrote.
The performance in 1973, is reminiscent of the many themed performances synagogues and religious schools perform today for the Purim Spiel.
That year, the presentation of “Rumpelstiltskin” was presented by the Department of Drama of Notre Dame College. Proceeds from the ticket sales and from the items sold during the Persian Flea Market were given to the Israel Emergency Fund “in the spirit of ‘shalach manot,’ the giving of gifts, particularly to people less fortunate than oneself, that is characteristic of Purim,” the article stated.
