Purim Themes

1) We came from the small town of Milwaukee in the cold and the snow,
How to make a New York Shalach Manos we did not know
We are now in the big leagues, no ifs ands or buts,
So to develop our Theme we asked Charles Schultz’s "Peanuts."
Snoopy offered to help make our Purim meal,
"Popcorn" he said has the right feel.
It was right for Thanksgiving dinner,
And it is just perfect for all of the Kinder.
It’s simple, it’s easy and before you know it you’re done,
And its big enough to put a Red Baron.
"You need something better, a little more fatty,
Just think of MY name" said Peppermint Patty.
Charlie Brown saw our ideas and said, "good grief!
You need a theme with a little more teeth.
Use Baby-Ruth bars to represent MY baseball team,
And you’ll see they will eat up your theme."
Lucy just laughed when she heard what Charlie had to say,
"You trust him when he doesn’t know that I will pull the football away?
His baseball team always fails, they end up a dud,
Kind of like Charlie when he hits the ground with a thud.
Milk Duds are what you really should include,
They are an absolutely perfect Charlie Brown food."
Do you like the idea we got from our friends?
The Peanuts do look at things through their unique lens.
If not, please help, if the Doctor is in,
Please find your payment, a nickel in your tin.
A thank you to the "Peanuts" for helping us develop this theme
They are easier to work with than they may seem,
Understanding their true nature is the real key
Are they really so different than the Shapiro family?



2) Can you believe Purim time is here once again,
With the normal dilemma of which shalach manos to send?
To choose Esther the Queen would seem rather trite,
And why should we compete with every costume in sight?
Now Cinderella was a Princess of a very different kind,
And the props in her story are so easy to find.
With a pumpkin (muffin) that turned into a beautiful stagecoach,
And a necklace of candy to match her brooch.
Of course she’ll need a watch to tell the time,
And perfect glass slippers that will stop on a dime.
Hurry and run for it is almost midnight,
You must hide yourself and get out of sight.
A glass slipper falls on your way down the stairs,
Back to your life with your worries and cares.
The Prince will find you of this you can be sure,
Without a care in the world that you are simple and poor.
He saw your fancy clothes and rings, that much is true,
But it was your inner beauty that truly shone through.
When you put on that slipper and it is the perfect fit,
Your station in life will not matter a bit.
If it’s gold coins that you seek, the Prince will provide,
But what truly matters is what is in the inside.
True beauty shines through the midnight dim,
And goes way beyond what you wear on Purim.
So dressed as Cinderella, Esther or even Vashti,
It is only the true you that everyone will see.
So be who you are, wear your colors with pride,
All of Klal Yisroel is beautiful, there is nothing to hide.

A Freliechen Purim


3) For a Jew the Jungle does not seem like the typical place
But please, sit back and read, and let me make the case.
While living with lions and zebras may seem a bit gory
Take a closer look at what happened in the understory.
You can imagine the horror, the fear and despair
For a lady like Jane to be stuck with nothing to spare.
How a lady of class for a Jungle man may have swooned
One must first understand what it is like to be marooned.
Eating nothing but bamboo and hearts of palm
How could a young lady remain so calm?
The answer is Tarzan, more monkey than man
Please let me explain how their romance began.
Left all alone with the tigers, toucans and dragonflies
She was in trouble it was not hard to surmise.
Then she could see him far off in the skyline
In swooped her hero swinging on a vine.
When she was in trouble with no time to spare
He chased off the lemur, the leopard and bear.
That he was uncouth she was well aware
But to try to escape she would never dare.
Then one day it struck her as from out of the blue
And from that day forward she knew what she HAD to do.
She would transform him and make him a mentch
Cut down his hair and eliminate the stench.
She would teach him what he needed to do
To belong more in the house than in the zoo.
And teach him she did, she turned him around
The benefits to being civil he suddenly found.
No more eating like an animal and making loud noise
She taught him to live with confidence and poise.
To make him a gentleman would become her new job
And he would have no choice but to stop being a slob.
She turned him around quickly she did not tarry
For deep down she knew this was the man she would marry.
You may wonder again what this may have to do
With the Jewish community, with me and with you.
I ask you to think if most single guys act much better
When they ask to date your daughter and you are ready to let her.
They act more like animals so gruff and obscene
Out in public they can hardly be seen.
It’s the women that turn them from a monkey to a man
Replacing their vines with a broom and a dustpan.
So the story of Jane is really the story of marriage
When a wife takes her husband and removes all his baggage.
There is of course one exception to the rule
When drunk on Purim and the man acts like a fool.
But worry not, the wildness and freedom of Purim is but one day a year
And the rest of the time he’ll answer you with a defeated "Yes Dear".
So enjoy Purim, don’t sit and think "woe is to me"
Because his behavior isn’t half bad for a former monkey.