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Dear Rachel Imenu Community Association,
As we assemble our costumes and mishloach manot for Purim, and as our local Muslim families celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, our Christian neighbors have their own special #holiday in this #season — the yahrzeit of #SaintPatrick Ha’Kadosh, a Christian tzaddik who died on 20 Adar II, 4221. His yahrzeit is celebrated according to the Pope Gregory calendar on 17 March, which this year falls today, on the 7th of Adar II.
Many of you may not be aware that our neighborhood is home to several Eirish Christian families, who hold Saint Patrick Ha’Kadosh is an especially meaningful tzaddik, because he is credited with introducing the Christian religion to Eire and building schools and Christian shuls there.
In accordance with the custom of Eirish-American Christians, The Our Lady of Eire Christian shul, which davens according to Nusach Irlandi, will be holding a special street parade and ethnic street festival in honor of their holy day.
Like their fellow Christians in Medinat Eire, our Christian neighbors have a custom of celebrating Yom Saint Patrick Ha’Kadosh with tefillah at their Christian shul in the morning, and a festive seudah in the evening.
Though this yom tov falls in the middle of Christian Omer II (“Lent”), a month of traditional fasting, the usual “fasting” emphasis on pareve foods is relaxed in favor of a fleishik meal of traditional foods in honor of the yom tov.
Among Christian-Americans of Irish origin, it is customary to celebrate Yom Saint Patrick Ha’Kadosh by eating traditional Eirish-American dishes such as pickled brisket, boiled potatoes, boiled cabbage, and a traditional yeast-free, chemically leavened bread. These foods will be served at booths at the street festival.
Christians enjoy color-coding their holidays, and Yom Saint Patrick Ha’Kadosh is no exception! This holiday is coded as green (in additional to the usual white and yellow of all Christian holidays). Food booths at the festival will be serving green beer in honor of the holiday; the beer may be accompanied by a special harp-shaped hechsher indicating that it is kosher for the yom tov.
On Yom Saint Patrick Ha’Kadosh, Christians wear green garments as a segulah against pinches from traditional green fairies called “lepirchans,” Lepirchans are believed to be ill-tempered fairies who mend the shoes of other fairies. Their name is believed to derive from an Eirish variant of pirchach (פירחח, meaning “brat” or “little rascal”) due to their reputation as being tricksters. When attending the parade, it is appropriate to wear green attire or to dress as a lepirchan to contribute to the festive atmosphere.
Although it is traditional to drink copious amounts of Eirish beer on Yom Saint Patrick Ha’Kadosh, there is no obligation to drink until you no longer recognize the name of Saint Patrick Ha’Kadosh.
Another motif of Yom Saint Patrick Ha’Kadosh is a clover with three leaves, which was considered by early Eirish people to be a sacred symbol of the arrival of spring. You may be offered a clover to pin to your lapel in honor of the day; it is appropriate to accept it, even if you are not Christian.
The street festival will begin at 11am, and the parade will begin at noon. You can expect the parade to include traditional Eirish dancing, Christian community members dressed as Saint Patrick Ha’Kadosh, our local Christian scout troop dressed as lepirchans, and other exotic symbols of the season.
In accordance with our neighborhood’s rules on public events, all foods served at the parade and street festival will be under the hashgacha of the local rabbanut. Although some Christians have a custom of consuming only treyf food, our neighborhood has a mandatory kashrut policy for all public events, so that everyone can be comfortable with the food.
Ilan Grinbaum
President, Rachel Imenu Community Association
#diversity #inclusivity #inclusive #ally
#FreedomOfReligion #FreedomFromReligion
#chag #chagim #holidays
#MedinatAmerica = #Satire
