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Standing in the presence of hamantaschen has never been known to make grown men cry — until this week.

At a Purim celebration Monday night for about 1,000 Russian Jewish emigres, some of the participants who hadn't tasted that kind of Jewish culture in a long, long time were overcome by emotion.

"The older generation, they had tears in their eyes tonight," said Rabbi Shimon Margolin, the 27-year-old leader of the S.F.-based Techiah Foundation. "People are telling me, 'I remember my childhood. It all comes back to me.'"

The Techiah Foundation sponsored the night of music and art at San Francisco's elegant Herbst Theatre. Techiah specializes in outreach to San Francisco's Russian Jewish population, which Margolin said numbers close to 25,000.

A gray-suited man, whose hair and beard were dyed green, red, purple and blue, chanted the Megillah

An English translation and cartoon drawings of the story of Purim accompanied the reading. Despite all that, the Russian-speaking audience seemed restless and talkative during the traditional reading.

The room, however, quieted down for the musical performances.

A trio of musicians played delicate versions of traditional Eastern European melodies. The cellist plucked staccato, while the flutist fluttered melancholy trills. Later, opera singer Sergei Zadvorny joined the trio for a very slow "Hava Negillah."

"Der rebbe hat gesagt — it's okay to dance in the aisles," drummer-vocalist Werner Berg of the klezmer band Limonim told the crowd. The Sonoma County band's long set included traditional songs from Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Moldova and other former Soviet republics.

The mostly older crowd stayed seated, choosing to sing along with tunes such as "Tumbalalaika" and a hora medley that included a faster-paced "Hava Negillah" and "Shalom Aleichem." The Andrews Sisters' hit "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon" drew extra applause.

"I think it's absolutely wonderful and great, and we wish to have it every year," said Lana Fein, a 20-year San Francisco resident formerly of the Ukraine.

"It's a great opportunity for us to get together. This klezmer band is [my] favorite part…This drummer, he reminds me [of Tevye, from] 'Fiddler on the Roof.' He is absolutely wonderful. The melody is so familiar to us. It's from the old country."

A table in the hallway held artwork from emigres, including collages made of feathers, pine cones and leaves. A collection of drawings featured images of President Clinton and late Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson.

The evening began with presentations from San Francisco Supervisor Michael Yaki and representatives of Mayor Willie Brown's office. They and representatives of the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation presented Margolin with certificates of appreciation.

Yaki declared March 20 "Techiah Foundation Day in San Francisco," and the mayor's office deemed it "Russian-Speaking Jewish Community Day."

Before the evening's program began, prominent members of the emigre community attended a buffet reception with potato knishes, hamantaschen and Israeli champagne.

They discussed further outreach to bring more recent emigres into the community and to help poorer arrivals settle in the Bay Area.

"It is very helpful for so many people, especially for old people, to not forget where they come from and who they are," said Boris Becker, a 39-year-old resident of Belmont who used to live in Moscow.

"We're not a very close community, but that's what Rabbi Margolin is trying to do…to unite people who have a common past and a common future."