Purim is one of the more obscure Jewish holidays. It commemorates the deliverance of the Jews from a genocidal plot, as recorded in the Book of Esther (known in Hebrew as the Megillah). The Megillah ...

I remember the first time I noticed something strange about the megillah, the biblical Book of Esther that is read aloud in synagogues worldwide today, on the Jewish holiday of Purim. It was ten years ...

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If the Megilah is Greek to you – that could be okay! The Mishna states that a Jew should hear the reading of the Megilah in Hebrew if he understands Hebrew. But for people who do not understand Hebrew ...

The Book of Esther is a court story. There is not a single spiritual expression let alone a religious expression from the beginning to its end. Do not look in the Megillah for the name of God because ...

What kind of feminist was Esther? The premise of the question is absurd for Esther’s time surely, but how do we celebrate her as a hero today with our current sensibilities? In what seem like ...

We all know the custom of dressing up and wearing costumes on Purim—probably one of the most recognizable aspects of the holiday (and not just for kids!). Many times, customs have a way of touching on ...

There are times when a hidden issue, unknown to the public, is really the underlying cause for current events. To present an example that is happening right before our eyes; Why is the entire world ...