Purim Is a Time for Fun: A Musical ‘Megilleh’ and Coloring Book

A Recovered Masterpiece of Jewish Culture!

In 1968, author Miriam Hoffman, illustrator Tsirl (Cecelia) Waletzky, and composer Malka Gottlieb, three iconic figures of Yiddish culture in The Bronx, New York City, got together to create a series of Yiddish pamphlets for young children under the banner: Oyfgang (Sunrise). With the decline of Yiddish language in the late 20th century, their beautiful work was lost. Until now!

Their most impressive and successful pamphlet was called Purim Iz a Shpiel Aza (Purim Is a Time for Fun), which retold the heroic story of Queen Esther in a beautiful, fun, and musical way for Yiddish-speaking Jewish children in the 1960s to read, celebrate, and perform.

In this brand-new contemporary English translation, YI Love Jewish has preserved the original magic of this beautiful children's book. Both the English and Yiddish (with transliteration) live side by side in this exciting publication, reinvigorating the powerful and humorous words of Columbia University professor Miriam Hoffman, the incredible artistic illustrations of Tsirl (Cecelia) Waletsky, and the beautiful melodies of Malka Gottlieb as they come together again in a revitalized program for Jewish children in the 21st century-and for generations to come.