CHANGE OF TUNE: Jewish temples are usually...

CHANGE OF TUNE: Jewish temples are usually reserved for holy events. So why are they hiring a deejay, setting up rides and serving cotton candy at the Temple Bat Yahm in Newport Beach on Sunday afternoon? . . . Most Jewish temples this weekend are celebrating Purim--a festival day--to commemorate the rescue of the Jews from a wicked oppressor many centuries ago. Says a spokeswoman: “A carnival is one way we can acquaint the children with the meaning of Purim.”

DON’T BE CRUEL: Here’s a thorn for Gov. Pete Wilson, who addresses fellow Republicans at their convention today (A37): In Orange County, the conservative Illuminare magazine set up an unusual poll asking readers who they wanted as the Republican gubernatorial candidate this year. You won’t find Wilson touting the results in his campaign literature. . . . Young Elvis got 73% of the vote, Old (Vegas) Elvis got 20% and Wilson just 7%. The magazine suggests an Elvis write-in on the June ballot.

HOUSE PARTY: The young men of the Sigma Chi house at UC Irvine had one special guest in mind for Friday evening’s house dedication ceremonies: Henry Segerstrom. He’s not only patriarch of one of Orange County’s foremost families, he’s a founder of Sigma Chi at Stanford University in the 1940s. Sigma Chi is part of UCI’s new on-campus Greek row. “We’re no animal house,” a spokesman says. “Mr. Segerstrom can be proud of our group.”

THEY’LL DO WINDOWS: If you think the latest crop of teen-agers lack responsibility, take a look at what they’re doing at Villa Park High School today. Hundreds of students, with help from parents and school staff, will spend their Saturday cleaning up the campus, from renovating the snack bar to fixing the bathroom plumbing. They’re calling it “Dustbuster II,” since the same thing was a success last year. Says Sarah Yi, 17, one of the organizers: “We want to see a big change . . . a glowing look.”