The Jewish holiday of Purim is quickly approaching. It begins on the evening of March 11 and continues through the next day, Sunday the 12th.
The holiday of Purim has its roots in the Biblical Book of Esther. The story is a fairytale full of palace intrigue, romance, greed, lust for power, and outrageous fate. The story of Purim makes no mention of Divine Source. In fact the name of the super courageous heroine, Esther, holds the meaning of "hidden." Purim is celebrated as Jewish Carnival; it ushers in the end of winter when life is hidden, and it reminds us through outrageous twists of fate that life holds much more than the what we can see. Purim reminds us to be open to wonder and that wonder is connected to hope. Purim's biggest lesson is that through hope people can effect real good in our world. Righteousness and justice even against all odds is a worthy risk. Each of us has a pivotal moment of heroic right action and we are all in this drama we call life for a specific purpose. Divine Source, higher mind consciousness, is revealed through virtuous action. Jewish law teaches that there is no such thing as an innocent bystander. To witness injustice, and not to act, is tantamount to being an accomplice to injustice. We are tasked to be mensches, Yiddish for caring, loving, righteous humans. Sometimes simply being a mensch is a heroic act. I have an old and dear friend who tells her child who is now in his forties "BEAM" whenever he leaves her- it is a simple acronym for (Be a Mensch). We are living through a time of divisiveness and fear that breeds fragmentation, and in some horrific instances hate and violence. Like the heroes of the story of Esther we need to turn up our courage and turn on our "high beams."
This year at Congregation Emanu-El we are celebrating hope by celebrating children. I want to invite all of you to join us on March 12 at 10:30am for a fantastic Purim celebration. At Purim, like Carnival, it is customary to wear costumes as a reminder that not everything is how it seems. This year we will celebrate with a children's parade up little Pandora Street. The parade staging area will be on the green at Pandora and Cook Streets. We will have a horse drawn trolley for little ones and a great Klezmer band for us to dance and Parade up to the synagogue for a puppet show, where we will have a 'G' rated telling of the Book of Esther followed by an old fashioned kid's carnival. May all of our children be "Beams of Light" bringing tremendous hope to our world.
Rabbi Harry Brechner is Rabbi of Congregation of Emanu-El in Victoria, B.C.
You are invited to participate in Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue’s Purim Events:
Saturday, March 11, Ziggy Stardust invites you to a fantastic Purim Party headlined by a spirited raucous reading of the scroll of Esther followed by a blow-out dance party on Saturday, March 11 at Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue, 1461 Blanshard Street, Victoria. 7:30 pm Maariv and Megillah reading; 9:00 pm Bowie-Inspired Let’s Dance Party. Finger foods and snacks including Hamantaschen will be served. Please bring your own booze. Admission is by donation.
Sunday, March 12, there will be a Purim Costume Parade complete with a horse drawn carriage and Klezmer Band. We will meet at Cook and Pandora (Pandora Green) at 10:30 am for the Purim Parade. Following the parade, there will be a children’s program at Congregation Emanu-El Synagogue, 1461 Blanshard Street, Victoria that will include an educational puppet show and an old fashioned carnival.
