Purim and the Ukraine

I love this time of year. The weather is changing and the flowers are starting to pop up through the soil. It means baseball and being outside. 

But the best thing of this time of year – PURIM and PASSOVER! Making hamentashen in all kinds of flavors. Planning my Passover recipes. I love to bake! This year my synagogue is having a Disney themed Purim Party. My husband and I are dressing up as characters from Toy Story and we will be handing out beverages from the Merritt Canteen! What fun! 

This year we are facing a new Purim story. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, along with an increase of antisemitism is the new story. Purim’s message is to fight the tyrants and it feels very relevant today. 

Purim’s message is to fight the tyrants and it feels very relevant today.

Mordechai refuses to bow down to Haman and the idols hung around the infamous antisemite’s neck: “And all the king’s servants that were within the king’s gate would bow and prostrate themselves to Haman, as indeed the king had commanded, but Mordechai would not bow down and would not prostrate himself.” (Esther 3:2)

Purim and Mordechai teach us that we don’t have to bow down to anyone or anything. Perhaps the spirit of Mordechai resides in Jewish Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Faced with the terrifying Russian aggression and intimidation, lesser people would have abandoned ship. Many would have given up hope when realizing how they were outnumbered. Zelenskyy walks in the footsteps of Mordechai, who refused to bow down. He has stood tall in the face of the threat facing him and shown the world that it is possible to find dignity in defense of what is right.

Join Chai Mitzvah for a fun and meaningful Purim celebration, Purim Through the Time Machine.  What would Esther, Mordechai, Haman and Achashverosh have to say if they experienced Purim in 2022? Come find out – what would the new Megillah look like? Register here.