Rabbi Chana Thompson Shor
The Book of Esther still speaks to us, even in the “safe” diaspora without ruling monarchs — because governments may shift, policies change and antisemitism reasserts itself.
Digging Deeper into Esther’s Mysteries
Tag: Purim
Esther in a New World
Ilana Kurshan
As part of his only recorded direct speech in the book of Esther, Mordechai exhorts his orphaned cousin Esther to appeal to King Ahaseurus, suggesting that Queen Esther’s raison d’etre was to rise to the occasion and deliver the Jewish people from danger. And yet, as a new anthology of essays suggests, Queen Esther has… Read more »
An Open Letter from Vashti to Her Successor
Heather Paul
I never wanted to be a queen. I only wanted to be Vashti.
Between Purim and Passover, a Plague
Rayzel Raphael
What if wee find we are more resilient than we knew?
What Purim in Israel Taught me About Inequality
Polina Kroik
Commentators say that mishloah manot is an exchange of gifts between equals. Needless to say that it didn’t work out that way in our school.
Purim: An Order Out of Chaos
Dasi Fruchter
Out of all the Jewish holidays, I’ve always felt the most ambivalent about Purim.