Purim!
Posted on March 8, 2009 at 7:00 am
Purim, which comes this year on March 10, is the celebration of the triumph of Queen Esther over the plot of Haman to kill all the Jews. Jewish children love to dress up and to hear the “purim shpiel,” the megillah’s story of how Esther, a Jew, married King Ahasuerus. They shake their groggers (noisemakers) whenever the storyteller mentions Haman, the evil adviser to the king who wore a tri-cornered hat. Haman hated the Jews because Esther’s uncle Mordecai refused to bow to him, saying he would bow only to God.
There are some fine books for children about Purim, including The Whole Megillah
And there are some movies including the Veggie Tales’ Esther, the Girl Who Became Queen
And don’t forget to try some Hamantaschen, the delicious triangular cookies filled with jam or poppyseeds.
A Joyous Purim to you! This is a story that Protestants ought to know too. Heroes and Villains, sex and violence, what more do we need? It’s great!