Jews Prepare to Celebrate Joyous Holiday of Purim

Jewish organizations throughout the Southland will sponsor worship services, carnivals and concerts to celebrate the joyous holiday of Purim. The holiday, which begins Monday evening, celebrates the triumph of the beautiful Queen Esther and her cousin, Mordechai, in foiling a plot of the nefarious Haman to destroy the Jews of Persia more than 2,000 years ago.

Most celebrations will feature the reading of the “Megillah,” the biblical saga of Esther, complete with noisemakers and colorful costumes. Carnivals with amusement rides, traditional Purim pastries, auctions and arts and crafts are also planned.

“Purim is a story that teaches us if we put our hearts, minds and souls to it, we can transform our lives from pain to healing and joy, and negative experiences into powerful opportunities,” said Rabbi Paul Kipnes of Temple Beth Hillel.

Among the festivities scheduled are the following:

* Temple Beth Hillel, 12326 Riverside Drive, Valley Village. Service, 7:30 p.m. Monday; adults-only Megillah study, 9:45 a.m. March 7; carnival, 11 a.m. March 7. (818) 763-9148.

* Temple Beth David, 9677 E. Longden Ave., Temple City, will host the San Gabriel Valley celebration of eight synagogues and organizations. Carnival, noon Sunday. (626) 287-9994.

* Temple Etz Chaim, 1080 Janss Road, Thousand Oaks. Service and costumed masquerade walk, 7 p.m. Monday. (805) 497-6891.

* Congregation Beth Shalom, 21430 Redview Drive, Santa Clarita. Carnival, 11:30 a.m. Sunday. (805) 250-8887.

* Sinai Temple, 10400 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. Festivities Sunday from 10 a.m.; pop-rock concert featuring Craig Taubman from noon. (503) 293-9498.

* Temple Menorah, 1101 Camino Real, Redondo Beach. Carnival from 11:30 a.m. Sunday. (310) 372-6939.

* Temple Aliyah, 6025 Valley Circle Blvd., Woodland Hills. Carnival from 10:30 a.m. Sunday. (818) 346-3545.

* Congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot, 3652 Michelson Drive, Irvine. Carnival from 11 a.m. Sunday; service at 7 p.m. Tuesday. (949) 857-2226.

* Temple Mishkon Tephilo, 206 Main St., Venice. Service and celebration from 7 p.m. Monday. (310) 392-3029.

* Westside Jewish Community Center, 5870 West Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles. Carnival from 11 a.m. Sunday. (323) 938-2531.

* Workmen’s Circle, 1525 S. Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles. Festivities headlined by the Arbeter Ring Lomir Ale Zingen chorus, 2 p.m. Sunday. (310) 552-2007.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

* St. Anthony Catholic Church, 1640 Western Ave., San Bernardino, will sponsor a gospel festival at 7 p.m. Sunday. (909) 887-3810.

* St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church, 7050 Brockton Ave., Riverside, will sponsor a gospel music workshop at 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, a revival at 7 p.m. Friday, and a closing liturgy at 6:30 p.m. next Saturday. (909) 683-0800.

* The Los Angeles Master Chorale will host the Moses Hogan Chorale of New Orleans in a concert interpretation of spirituals by African American composers and arrangers. The concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. (800) 787-LAMC.

* Ward A.M.E. Church will sponsor Black Adoption Day, emphasizing the spiritual importance of adoption, with worship services at 8 and 11 a.m. Sunday. Adoptive parents and representatives of public and private adoption service agencies will be available for consultation. The church is at 1177 W. 25th St., Los Angeles. (213) 747-1357.

EVENTS

The Princeton Women’s Network of Los Angeles will sponsor a panel discussion on women and religion at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Marlborough School, 250 S. Rossmore Blvd., Hancock Park. Topics will include female leadership, patriarchy and women’s spiritual perspectives. (323) 938-3118.

* Johnnie Coleman, coauthor of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series, will headline the Mind 2000 seminar at 10 a.m. today. The seminar on “Harvesting Your Field of Dreams” will be held at Founder’s Church of Religious Science, 3281 W. 6th St., Los Angeles. (213) 388-9733.

* St. Bede’s Episcopal Church will present a Lenten Day of Reflection led by the Rev. L. William Countryman, author of “Forgiven & Forgiving,” at 9 a.m. next Saturday at 3590 Grand View Blvd., Los Angeles. (310) 391-5522.

* Gospel singer Rebecca St. James will present a concert at 7 p.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church in Pomona. St. James was listed as one of the top 50 up-and-coming evangelical leaders by Christianity Today magazine. (909) 769-9734.

* The San Fernando Valley Interfaith Council will sponsor a panel discussion on “What There Is in My Religious Teaching Which Keeps Me Practicing My Faith” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The discussion, featuring speakers from the Catholic, Mormon, Hindu and African Methodist Episcopal churches, will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 5338 White Oak Ave., Encino. (818) 718-6460, ext. 3001.

* Anna Elisabeth Rosmus, the real-life heroine of the acclaimed film “The Nasty Girl,” will speak on how she exposed the Nazi history of her Bavarian hometown at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Soka University. The campus is at 26800 W. Mulholland Highway in Calabasas. (818) 888-9337.

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Notices may be mailed for consideration to Southern California File, c/o Religion Editor, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, or faxed to Southern California File at (213) 237-4712, or sent by e-mail to religion@latimes.com. Items should arrive two to three weeks before the event and should include pertinent details about the people and organizations with address, phone number, date and time.