Robert J. Avrech: Emmy Award winning screenwriter. Movie fanatic. Helplessly and hopelessly in love with my wife since age nine.
“The Book of Esther can easily masquerade as a child s tale. Theres a villain out to hang Mordechai and murder his countrymen; a king who enjoys drinking; and a beautiful and noble queen. There are assassins, palace intrigue and a climactic battle scene — and a happy ending, to boot. What more could you ask for in a good child s story?
Today is the holiday of Purim.
And it is no accident that Benjamin Netanyahu referenced this Jewish holiday when delivering his powerful and historic address to the U.S. Senate the other day.
It’s an old ( 5th century B.C.E.) but agnonizingly familiar story: A Jew-hater named Haman hatches a plan to annihilate the Jewish people in the ancient kingdom of Persia.
[Read more…] about Purim: The Non-Progressive Jewish Holiday