By Steve Guggenheim
Victoria Shaw of East Windsor likes the costumes. Her sister Naomi likes the carnival. And brother Justin likes making noise. What the triplets are referring to is the just concluded Jewish holiday of Purim., Cantor Larry Brandspiegel of Beth El Synagogue in East Windsor says he likes watching the joy of the kids faces celebrating this fun holiday. But it’s not all fun and games. He says the serious side is that with everything going on concerning anti-semitism nowadays, it harkens back to the time when Queen Esther had to hide her Judaism., Brandspiegel says with this holiday we are free to be serious but also to have fun. We are free of tyranny from our adversaries and we can enjoy our Judaism., Beth El Rabbi Jay Kornsgold says Purim goes back to the time when Haman was an official in the Persian empire under King Ahasuerus. He wanted the Jewish people to bow to him, which they refused since they don’t bow down to anyone. He then went to the king for an order to destroy the Jews, which the not too bright king ordered. When Queen Esther found out she tried having the order rescinded, but a king’s order can not be reversed. So the Jews had to go to war and eventually defeated those who wanted to destroy them., Rabbi Kornsgold says Purim is about the hatred Haman had of foreigners. He says one can contrast the stories of Chanukah and Purim. With Chanukah King Antiochus told the Jews they could live but not practice their religion, but in Purim Haman wanted the Jews dead. He says the holiday is about not disrespecting others and the need to be tolerant., During the service the Megillah, or the Book of Esther, is read. When Haman and his wife Zeresh are mentioned everyone drowns out their names by shouting and using noisemakers. Kornsgold says they wanted to destroy us so we blot out their names., The rabbi says the story relates to current times since so many people are intolerant and the message we need is to have one of dialog. He says even though they tried to destroy the Jewish people, the Jews prevailed and that is something that should not be forgotten., But why do people get dressed up during the holiday? It was at a party where Queen Esther blew the whistle against Haman. So at a Purim festival one will find people dressed up in costumes as they would be at a party. It’s considered a minor holiday in the Jewish religion since people are allowed to work, but it’s message is quiet serious.
