What is a Purimspiel?

A mask, some rugelach, and other purimspeil items on a table.

Presenting a spiel (Yiddish for “play”) has been a Purim custom since the 14th century. A spiel is often silly and playful— and it can give unsung heroes a chance to shine.

Try It Out:

Ready to put on your own purimspiel? You can read the simple version of the Purim story from A Time to Hope and act it out or use this script from PJ Library community programming for a more involved version.

Read:

Barnyard Purim book cover
Purim Chicken book cover
Purim Play book cover

Watch:

A Purim Spiel by Freestyle Love Supreme via The Jewish Museum

 

An Encanto Purim via The Maccabeats

 

Listen:

Enjoy a story about putting together a purimspiel in this episode of Beyond the Bookcase:

 

Listen to a child-friendly version of the Purim story. Kids can also pantomime along to this audio for an easy, last minute, purimspiel performance:

 

More

Family-Friendly Podcasts and Videos to Share the Purim Story
Learning the Four Mitzvot of Purim
Printable: Purim Finger Puppets