Dear Friends,
On Monday, March 9, Jews around the world will be celebrating Purim (which we will celebrate at HCRJ on Friday night and Sunday morning of this week). Purim is a holiday with many faces. One face is rather serious. It is the face that helps us recall and retell our people’s struggle to overcome the forces in history which have sought to destroy us. On this level, we celebrate the lofty ideals of bravery, sacrifice, luck and fortitude.
Another face of Purim is spiritual. While God is never mentioned in the Scroll of Esther, Purim is a holiday with a powerful theological message. It teaches us that God works through us in our daily lives, and that each of us, through the choices we make, can become an instrument of God and make a true difference in the world.
Finally, Purim is playful and mischievous. It is a time to joke and be jolly, and it is in the spirit of this face that our sages suggested that we bring joy and gladness into our lives throughout the entire month of Adar.
Help celebrate the joy and gladness of Purim by joining us on Friday night, March 6 for our congregational Megillah reading. Come in costume and bring your groggers!
L’Shalom,
Steve