The most obscure bit of trivia the Jewish Light learned at the 2025 Purim reenactment and parade was that Popeye the Sailor Man was created by Jewish cartoonist E. C. Segar.
Bret and Mary Silverglate offered up this factoid. They were dressed as Popeye and Olive Oyl, and Bret had previously Googled the spinach-eating sailor. The gathering of nearly 400 Purim revelers in University City on March 14 also included astronauts, Vikings, cowboys and oddly, a Catholic nun.
Moshe Abramson, fists clenched, was decked out in an orange-and-blue jumpsuit. Scott Biondo, community security director at the Jewish Federation, evaluated Abramson and said he was likely paying homage to a video game. Biondo was correct, but he didn’t know it was Goku—also known as Kakarot—from the Dragon Ball 2 series.
The slow-marching reenactment up and down the streets of University City was the centerpiece of the event, with Sam Zitin blowing shofar. Michael Schachter was the drummer, Joe Yazdi drew jeers for his portrayal of Haman and Eugene Vorobeychik took the saddle of the horse as the regal king Mordecai. Vorobeychik admitted it was his first time on horseback, but he said, “I feel comfortable.”
Rose Ann Ariel, who has organized the event since its inception in 2003, said of the Purim repertory players, “They consider it an honor to be in the parade. It’s a fun holiday to celebrate and have all kinds of people come and participate.”
All photos by Bill Motchan.
