Each year at Purim whenever the Book of Esther is read and Haman’s name comes up, it is customary to drown out the sound of his name with shaking of groggers (or more creatively in some congregations, boxes of dried pasta or macaroni and cheese) per Jewish traditions.
Most frequently, the Book of Esther is accounted in both evening and morning services on the 14th of Adar. Whether in traditional readings or various attempts at theatrically, satirically, humorously, and/or otherwise creatively depicting the story in a parody form to make the day more memorable and lighthearted, these noisemakers otherwise known as groggers are very much integrated as part of Jewish culture today dating back to 13th century France and Germany.
Today, one can even receive the account of Purim and the megillah of Esther through text messages, and have the option of using your groggers in your own home each time Haman’s name comes up.
Written by Erin Parfet
