Purim Day

Another mitzvah of Purim is to provide gifts for the poor. The minimum is to provide enough money to buy two poor people one full meal (generally, at twenty shekels each, this is estimated at forty shekels.) Giving more than the minimum is always encouraged, and so tzedukah (charity) organizations are out in force with mobile donation trailers.

Giving tzedukah.

Meanwhile, the rest of the gang heads towards the Kollel (married men's yeshivah) of Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu. He is a former Chief Rabbi of Israel, and, after retiring, became one of the the spiritual leaders of the National Religious camp and a close advisor to the National Religious party. He also happens to be my cousin Rafi's uncle. Israel is a very small country.

Outside of Kollel Darchei Orah, where Rabbi Eliyahu teaches.

Looking through the window.

There was barely breathing room inside.

The rabbi, in black hat.

The rabbi gives a brachah to all the single men and women to get married. It might be a bit easier if the mechitzah dividing us were temporarily, eh, moved aside.

Rabbi Dov Bigon, head of Machon Meir, at Rabbi Eliyahu's, delivering a lesson, with Fez.
Outside the Kollel, I bumped into old friend and Walnut Creek native Adam Neril, here shown in "Hug Me" mode.

On the trip back to our yeshivah, we made a procession out of it.

And obstructed traffic the whole way back.

In front of the Machon.
Yours truly with Adam.
Adam on the guitar.
Asher, the cave man. Yes, those are wine corks up his nose.

Of course, the final mitzvah of Purim is to make a Seudah (festive meal) at which one becomes so drunk he can't tell the difference between "Blessed is Mordechai" and "Cursed is Haman."

Avishai makes the blessing over wine.

Yours truly at the meal, in "undercover reporter" mode.