JEWISH PEOPLE TO CELEBRATE THEIR SURVIVAL.

Byline: Holly Andres Staff Writer

AGOURA HILLS - Booing, hissing and foot-stomping will raise the roofs in synagogues Monday night as local Jews celebrate the festival of Purim.

Purim is observed with costumed revelry and the reading of the Megillah (Scroll) of Esther. While the order of the day is eat, drink and be merry, Purim's serious side is that it celebrates Jewish survival from religious persecution.

``It is total chaos - very noisy,'' said Nili Ziv, director of education at Temple Beth Haverim in Agoura Hills, describing the atmosphere in synagogues on Purim.

``We are supposed to take an active part in the service. We suspend all the rules. Children are marching around. There is yelling and using the noisemakers called graggers when we hear the name Haman.''

Haman is the villain in the soap-opera-like story described in the Book of Esther. In an ancient Persian kingdom, Haman, chief adviser to the king, plots to have all the Jews in the kingdom killed because they won't bow down to him.

``We don't treat human beings as divine,'' said Rabbi Gershon Johnson of Temple Beth Haverim. ``Jews do not bow down to people. We only bow down to God.''

Haman's devious plot is discovered by Mordecai, the uncle of Queen Esther. Esther, who won a beauty contest to become queen, had concealed that she was a Jew. Taking Mordecai's advice, she informs her husband, King Ahasuerus, about the edict to kill all the Jews in the kingdom. At the end of the story, the Jews are saved and the evildoer put to death.

``When the Jewish people were saved at the end of Esther's story, they declared a joyous celebration,'' Ziv said. ``We are celebrating our freedom and we re-affirm our faith in God.''

The message of Purim rings true every year for Jews, said Johnson, who finds it easy to tie the festival's message in with the regime in Iraq.

``Saddam Hussein is very much like a modern-day Haman. He has no regard for his own people,'' Johnson said. ``I got an e-mail the other day from someone who suggested we eat 'Saddamtaschen', the hat of Saddam, instead of Hamantaschen, the hat of Haman.''

Hamantaschen is the traditional treat eaten on Purim. Triangular cookies filled with fruit or poppy seeds are given to family and friends, along with fruit and candy. Giving to a charity is also a tradition on Purim.

For children growing up in Israel, the tradition is to dress up in all kinds of costumes, not necessarily as one of the characters in the story, the temple's education director said.

``I like better the idea that the story is itself a make-believe story,'' Ziv said. ``We can believe that we can be grand or noble or brave even if we don't feel that way.''

``All is possible if we put on a different persona,'' she said. ``The story of Esther is a serious story. It is a story of bravery, sacrifice, luck and hope. The bottom line is that we believe in ourselves in spite of unfortunate circumstances.''

PURIM ACTIVITIES

Here is a list of upcoming Purim activities. Participants are invited to dress in costume for services and carnivals. The Megillah of Esther will be read at all Purim services.

Temple Aliyah, 6025 Valley Circle Blvd., Woodland Hills, will hold a Purim carnival, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday. Call [phone].

Burbank Temple Emanu El, 1302 N. Glenoaks Blvd., will hold a Purim carnival, 11 a.m.-p.m. Sunday. Call [phone].

Congregation Beth Knesset Bamidbar, 1611 E. Ave. J, Lancaster, will hold a Purim carnival at 11 a.m. Sunday and a service at 6:30 p.m. Monday. Call [phone].

Shomrei Torah Synagogue, 7353 Valley Circle Blvd., West Hills, will hold a Purim service for families with young children at 6:30 p.m. and for children in grades three and up at 7:45 p.m. Monday. Call [phone].

Temple Beth Haverim, 29900 Ladyface Court, Agoura Hills, will have a Purim service at 7 p.m. Monday. Call [phone].

Chabad of the Conejo will present a walk-through Purim event at 7 p.m. Monday at the Hyatt Westlake Plaza Hotel, 880 S. Westlake Blvd., Westlake Village. Admission $4. Call [phone].

Temple Beth Torah, 16651 Rinaldi St., Granada Hills, will hold a Purim service at 7 p.m. Monday. Call [phone].

Temple Ahavat Shalom will hold a Purim service at 7 p.m. Monday at 18200 Rinaldi Place, Northridge. A Purim carnival will be held at 10 a.m. March 23, coinciding with a blood drive. Call [phone].

Temple Judea, 5429 Lindley Ave., Tarzana, will hold a Purim service at 7:15 p.m. Monday and a Purim carnival from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. March 23. Call [phone].

Temple Beth Hillel, 12326 Riverside Drive, Valley Village, will hold a Purim service at 7:15 p.m. Monday. Call [phone].

Congregation Or Ami will hold a Purim service with a costume parade at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Agoura Hills-Calabasas Community Center, 27040 Malibu Hills Road, Calabasas. Call [phone].

- Holly Andres

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, box

Photo:

(1) Temple Beth Haverim first-grader Adam Ellis, center, reacts to the Megillah (scroll) of Esther in a Purim play Friday. At left, Ben Rosen waits for his cue.

(2) Ziv Haikin dons his crown to portray the Persian king in a Purim program Friday at Temple Beth Haverim in Agoura Hills.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News

Box:

PURIM ACTIVITIES (see text)