27th Annual Purimshpiel at Congregation Shaarai Shomayim March 8, 2026

Contact: Dr. David Stameshkin, 717-341-5188, david.stameshkin@fandm.edu

The Shaarai Shpielers will perform their 27th annual Purimsphiel, Tradition!, on Sunday, March 8, at 1:30 p.m., at Congregation Shaarai Shomayim, 75 E. James Street in Lancaster City (enter through the James Street doors). In this year’s production, the wonderful 1964 Broadway musical, Fiddler on the Roof, meets the Book of Esther (the Megillah). There is an opening for a new Queen, and Hadassah, who is an attractive and fearless Jewish 18-year-old, wants to apply, even though she knows that a Jewish woman has never been chosen and probably never will be. She changes her name to Esther, keeps her religion a secret, and wins the contest held to choose the Queen. Meanwhile, Haman, the mean anti-Semitic Prime Minister, convinces the King to issue a decree to kill all the Jews. Can Esther, and her older cousin, Mordechai, who raised her, save their people from death? Come and find out!

Many of the major songs in “Fiddler”—Sunrise, Sunset,” “To Life,” ‘Matchmaker,”
“Far From the Home I Love,” ‘Tradition,” “Do You Love Me,”—and others will be presented as parodies.

The lead roles are played by Abigail Rackliffe (Hadassah/Esther), Josh Schwartz (Mordechai), Stu Blumenthal (King Ahashuerus), and Barry Shender (Haman). Also performing are Missy DePietro, Melanie DeSantis, Rebecca DeSantis-Randall, Tama Etra, Roni Jevens, Elin Ketels, Ilene Kochel, Rachel Levine, C. Tyler Mandel, Lisa Miller, Rabbi Jack Paskoff, Elizabeth Rackliffe, Toby Reigart, Janine Riben, Elaine Rostolsky, Harvey Scolnick, Colleen Stameshkin, Sally Woodman, and Alice Yerman. Alan Levine is the Musical Director; and Aaron Zinner, Props and Scenery Director. The show is produced, directed, and written by David Stameshkin.

Admission is free (and worth every penny!) and open to the public.