The students of Central Acres Christian School in Billings, Mont., celebrated the Feast of Purim with a cross-curricular, schoolwide educational event. The Feast of Purim is a celebration that commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day” (Esther 3:13).
Wanting to know more, the students and staff researched food, clothing, the economy and life of ancient Persia from 539 B.C. to 331 B.C. The academic components included activities in Bible, technology, history, reading, writing, art, crafts, math and food science. Once a traditional menu was decided, each student participated in helping to make at least one item for the feast. There were tasks enough for all pre-K through eighth-grade students. These tasks included grinding wheat flour for the challah, rugelach and vegetable krugel; shaping hamentaschen; making hummus; and preparing vegetables and fruit.
Adding to the festival atmosphere, staff and nearly every student dressed as someone from the court of King Ahasuerus … but nobody wanted to be Haman!
Central Acres Christian School is an Adventist school offering pre-K through eighth grade.