Early Purim Celebrations in Mumbai This year in India, Purim falls on the exact same day as the Hindu festival of colors, Holi, which is marked on the streets by people throwing paint at each other. For these Jews living in a Hindu majority, extra traveling on the day of Holi is impossible and most don't leave their homes -- save for a quick dash to the synagogue to hear the megillah before returning to the their homes. To solve this logistical challenge, the Jewish community in Mumbai decided to celebrate Purim a week early. On Sunday, February 25th, children and parents of the Sunday program, Gan Katan, gathered at the JDC supported Evelyn Peters Jewish Community Center, a hub of Jewish life for the estimated 5,000 Indian Jews, for a festive Purim Party. The Purim celebration may have been held a week early, but families and children were in good spirits, all participating in a myriad of Adar-themed activities. The community hosted a special guest speaker, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, who addressed the parents, while the children enjoyed making and giving "Shalach Manot" (the mitzvah of giving gifts of food to friends and members of the community), as well as decorating Purim cards to give to the residents of the JDC-supported Bayiti, Mumbai's Home for the Elderly. Rabbi Telushkin spoke about the connections that Jews all over the world share, like the festival of Purim. The children competed in a rousing "fancy dress" costume competition in categories of Jewish characters and non-Jewish characters, which was followed by Purim trivia that parents and children participated in together. March 2007