Purim is the moment
The Jewish festival of Purim is celebrated this Sunday. The festival of Purim commemorates the miraculous salvation of the Jewish community, in ancient
Persia, from the nefarious plot devised by Haman, an adviser to the Persian king, to exterminate all Jews — men, women and children — in a single day.
The story recounted in the Book of Esther reveals how Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai thwarted Haman’s genocidal scheme, ultimately leading to the downfall of their enemy and the preservation of their people. This holiday stands as a testament to the resilience and survival of the Jewish people against oppression and annihilation.
Purim is celebrated with much joy and is marked by various customs and traditions. Megillah readings, where the Book of Esther is recited aloud, serve as a reminder of the miraculous events that unfolded and God’s hand in orchestrating this great salvation. Gifts of food, known as Mishloach Manot, are exchanged among friends and family to foster unity and goodwill. Charity, or Matanot La’Evyonim, is also an integral part of the holiday, ensuring that all members of the community can partake in the festivities. Feasting and merriment abound, as people come together to rejoice in their deliverance and reaffirm their commitment to their heritage.
One of the most poignant parts of the Purim story and the direct cause of the salvation of the Jewish nation was the bravery of one woman, Queen Esther, who had the courage and fortitude to break her silence and speak up for her people even at the risk of losing her own life.
Queen Esther was motivated and encouraged by her cousin Mordechai to assert herself and use her voice. He said to her “Do not be silent … perhaps it was for this very moment that you are here at the palace.”
As I get ready to celebrate this joyous holiday I am struck by parallels in our historical narrative and our experience as Jews in 2024. Just as back then, and many times throughout our history, the Jews become The Problem for all the world’s ills, and with enough rationalization, and propagated lies repeated, the Jews become the target of annihilation and destruction.
Mordechai eloquently said in the Purim story, “You can’t be silent.” As seen in generations before us, silence, and indifference in the face of hatred and prejudice is tantamount to complicity in its perpetuation.
One of the biggest challenges Jews face today is the massive amount of misinformation being spread around the globe in nanoseconds, easily convincing entire populations that Israel and the Jews are the problem. In a world where self-proclaimed experts peddle blatant falsehoods and propagate them with impunity, it falls upon each one of us to be vigilant of the truth. While we may not always succeed in changing minds, our efforts serve to sow seeds of doubt and challenge the narratives of hate and division.
Given this, I’d like to point out some critical facts about “facts” currently being screamed all over the globe (and here in this paper). When data is shared as facts it is imperative to find out the source of the so-called factual data. Any student who has been through school has been taught that when stating data on a paper the source itself needs to be researched to prove that the source is reliable and the data it outputs is not biased or based on a specific agenda.
In the current Israel/Gaza war, the main source of data being cited in all media across the globe is the United Nations. I am not sure if you are aware that UNRWA, the largest agency of the United Nations, has been exposed to have been in alliance with Hamas. Dozens of employees of UNRWA/UN were directly involved in massacring Jews, hundreds more affiliated themselves with Hamas and thousands cheered on the Oct. 7 attack.
In addition, hostages were held in the homes of UNRWA employees and continue to be held in the homes of UNRWA employees. Furthermore, where does the UN get its numbers? They cite their numbers from the Gaza Health Ministry. Who runs the Gaza Health Ministry? The local government of Gaza which is (don’t hold your breath for this one) Hamas. The one and only genocidal, murderous, rapist, terrorist group whose sole agenda is to kill and annihilate Jews.
So now that we have this information, do you think the data they output for the world is honest, trustworthy and reliable? Are these the people we are going to use as the source of our facts? If your answer is yes, then we as a human race have sunk to a new and frightening low.
When you, my dear friends, are confronted with data, check the source, and check it again, and if something is questionable speak up and use your voice like our heroine Esther.
As we commemorate the festival of Purim, we are commanded to be full of Simcha — joy in celebration of our great salvation. This is a struggle for me as we are faced with so much sadness and fear. Despite this, I have pledged to make a conscious effort to increase the joy in my daily life.
There is a Chassidic axiom that says “Joy breaks all barriers!” When we are joyful, we break down the negativity in our own lives and the world at large. A Chassidic rebbe once told a distraught follower of his who was suffering through a difficult personal hardship, “increase in your joy because when we cry to God it’s a knock on the heavenly gates, but when we are joyful, we have the power to completely smash the gates of heaven and reach God directly.”
In the merit of our increased joy may all the hostages be released immediately and there should be an immediate end to the suffering of our brothers and sisters in our eternal homeland!