This lesson pairs the Purim comics with simple, interactive review activities. Students revisit the story through drawing raffles in the “Game of Lots” and discuss key mitzvos and minhagim through “Mixed-Up Mitzvahs”. Everything is designed to help them remember what they learned without it feeling repetitive, and to bring events and mitzvos of Purim to life.
Step 1: Learning through Comics
Page by page, the comics follow the Purim story from beginning to end, guiding students through the events, characters, and mitzvos of Purim.
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Printing Instructions
This PDF is formatted in US letter size and can be printed as single pages or assembled into a booklet for classroom or home use.
How-to
Assign students different characters and have them read their parts aloud, using voices and expression to bring the story to life. You can pause between scenes to clarify details and ask questions.
Step 2: “Game of Lots” Review
“Cast lots” - Purim - to review the story of Purim!
Preparation
Print the “Raffle Game” file (single-sided) and cut apart the question slips.
Prepare two large containers:
One filled with the paper coins
One filled with raffle tickets (questions)
How to Play
Before beginning the game, briefly discuss the connection: Haman drew lots (“pur”) to choose the date to destroy the Jews, and that is why the holiday is called Purim.
Divide the class into two teams.
Each team sends a representative to “draw lots.”
The student first draws a coin — this determines how many points the question is worth.
The student then draws a raffle ticket and attempts to answer the question.
If answered correctly, the team earns the number of points on the coin.
If the student cannot answer but someone from the other team can, the opposing team earns the points.
The team with the most points at the end wins.
Students will be able to answer all questions if they’ve read the comics carefully.
Variations
Play individually instead of in teams.
If a student cannot answer, deduct the coin’s point value from their score.
Allow teammates to “buy help” by giving up half the coin’s value.
Step 3: Mixed-up Mitzvahs
Unscramble individual words to uncover the mitzvot and minhagim of Purim.
These concepts were not introduced in the comics, so choose the ones you want to focus on and reinforce the vocabulary as you review and clarify each concept together. The set includes 20 cards, and we found that most Hebrew school classes didn’t stay focused long enough to discuss all of them.
Preparation
Print the “Mixed-Up Mitzvahs” file (single-sided), above.
How to Play
Hold up one card at a time, showing the class.
Students work to unscramble the words and determine what the phrase says.
(Note: individual words are scrambled, not full sentences.)Once the class figures it out, pause and briefly review or expand on the mitzvah and its details. This is a great opportunity to clarify misconceptions and reinforce specifics students often forget.
Answers
Once at night and once during the day
Shake your graggar when you hear Haman’s name
Listen to every word
Three blessings before the megillah is read
Five sentences to say out loud
Include two different foods
Give it to a friend the same gender as you
Give it through a messenger
Don’t forget to make blessings on the food
Give charity to at least 2 people
Everyone can give —it doesn’t matter how much you have
Enjoy a festive meal
Adults drink wine
Wash and eat bread and meat
Hamantaschen are not mandatory
Add a special prayer
Children dress in costume
The Shabbat before, listen to “zachor”
The fast of Esther
The half coin custom