David Calliott and Matt Kantro.
Tidewater’s young Jewish adults showed up ready to party at YAD’s Purim party on Saturday, March, 23. It took no time for the popular ‘DJ Richard’ to get the party going with dance hits, games, and glow necklaces as young adults celebrated the festive holiday.
This year’s party theme was YAD Mitzvah, channeling Bar and Bat Mitzvah parties from the 1990s and early 2000s—bringing back memories for most attendees of their own celebrations.
Party goers dressed to impress in their best Bar/Bat Mitzvah look. Encouraged to recreate their Bar/Bat Mitzvah era, butterfly clips, tulle dresses, and bomber jackets were part of the scene. YAD Mitzvah’s signature drink, the Dirty Shirley, was intentionally chosen to allow attendees to feel like they have finally moved up from the Shirley Temple they had at their own Bar/Bat Mitzvah.
No 90s/00s Bar/Bat Mitzvah would be complete without popular Mitzvah games led by DJ Richard. YADians Sean and Meryl Mulligan were the Coke and Pepsi winners. After running back and forth across the dance floor high fiving to the shout outs of “Coke! Pepsi! Sprite!” the Mulligans beat out 10 other pairs to claim their title.
“It was one of the best Purim parties,” says Shikma Rubin, YAD Cabinet member, who spent practically the entire evening on the dance floor. “My favorite part of the YAD Purim party was all the games we played– Pepsi and Coke, freeze dance, limbo, etc. It felt like a real Bar/Bat Mitzvah party.”
The energy was electrifying. Clarissa Thratcher, a first-time Purim party attendee, won the limbo challenge, while lucky games and dance off winners won tickets to Israel Festival, as well as gift cards to restaurants throughout Virginia Beach.
Amy Pudder, new to the Jewish community, says, “It was great to meet young Jews in the area! The team did a wonderful job creating a space to party.”
The YAD Purim Party was made possible by Tidewater Home Funding, its generous sponsor, and the dedicated Purim Party Committee: David Calliott, Matt Kantro, Pam Trompeter, and Estelle Katz.
Carly Glikman