|
Shalom everyone,
Purim is coming! Purim is coming! Purim is coming!
For many of us, Purim conjures up memories of noisemakers and costumes as well as laughter and joy. This special holiday celebrates the story of how Queen Esther and Mordecai triumph over the hatred and anti-Semitism spewed out by the evil Haman.
What many people may not realize in the story is that there are actually two Esthers. The first Esther is revealed at the beginning of the story. She is happy and excited to take her role as Queen of the kingdom. And because of her comfort in her position, she is also comfortable hiding her true identity from her King and Haman.
The second Esther is the one that we see at the end of the story. She is the one that is brave enough to appear in front of the king unannounced (an action that could have meant certain death).. She is the one that singles out Haman, when no one else would. And she is the one responsible for the victory of the Jewish people.
The first Esther hides while the second Esther stands up.
As many of you have heard, batches of anti-Semitism have been unleashed throughout this country. Over the past couple of months, Jewish cemeteries have been vandalized and JCC’s have had consistent bomb threats. We are not dealing with anti-Semitism that is just a snide remark here or a random swastika there. These actions seem to be organized and they are definitely out in the public.
With Purim on the horizon, we have to ask ourselves, “Which Esther are we going to be? Are we going to hide under the privilege and comfort that surround us? Or are we going to stand up with others and be vigilant?”
In standing strong, I suggest two things. The first is you not only stay up-to-date on these acts of anti-Semitism that are blanketing this country, but you connect yourselves with national Jewish organizations like the Anti-Defamation League and the American Jewish Committee. The ADL, in particular, works to fight against anti-Semitism around the world. They send out press releases on a regular basis and work with local communities to fight against hatred and bigotry of all kinds. The American Jewish Committee has local chapters around this country working on a range of issues, one in particular is anti-Semitism.
The second thing that I suggest to you is to participate in any of our Purim festivities because they connect you with “community.” These difficult times demand that you spend time with others and not be alone. Throughout history, our strength has always been our connection to one another. Please use this “Purim” time as an opportunity to connect with community.
So what is happening for Purim at Beth Am?
Thursday March 9th at 7:45 pm – Wine With Weiner
We will look at the hidden messages and mis-taught lessons of the Purim story.
Friday March 10th at 5:30 pm – Welcoming Shabbat
Shouldn’t our littlest ones (7 and under) have an opportunity to celebrate with Groggers and Hamantashen?
Friday March 10th at 8:00 pm – Shabbat Services
The theme of our Shabbat service will be the messages of strengths and bravery found within our Jewish ancestry.
March 11th at 6:30 pm – Purim Celebration
Oy, the fun!!!! We will read the megillah with groggers and more, parade around in crazy costumes, and listen to our wonderful Shpiel lead by Cantor Jamie and our Purim Players.
March 12th at 10:30 am - Purim Carnival
Come play fun carnival games, get your face painted, or even work on some adorable crafts with your kids. Fun for all!!!!
Whether it is a learning opportunity or just coming to our Purim celebration, one way that we can fight anti-Semitism is by coming together and celebrating our tradition as well as our continuity. As we celebrate Purim this year, we will be celebrating our past as well as our future. Perhaps, at this time, there is no better message that we can send out into the world.
Looking forward to seeing you next week.
Chag Purim Samei’ach,
Rabbi Robbie
|
