Shenichnas Adar, Marbim B’simcha -“When the month of Adar enters, we increase in our joy” – so says this iconic message two weeks before Purim, which falls on the 14^th day of the Hebrew month of Adar, and this year on March 7.  We wonder what we are meant to say or do in the first half of the month to fulfil this instruction in the absence of further detail!  A medieval commentary, Ein Yaakov, re-imagines the expression to “When Adar arrives, we decrease mourning and increase joy.”  In Judaism it is an auspicious time to temporarily let go of or distract ourselves from all that plagues our hearts and souls at this moment in time, and to start something new – add some learning, or distance ourselves from some of the negative influences around us, in order to fully immerse in the joys and antics of the holiday of Purim.  Is this even possible given the almost daily acts of hate bias, vandalism and antisemitism that are so close to home?

We are all seeking effective antidotes to our fears and to this reality.  Perhaps the Book of Esther, which we traditionally read two times on Purim, once in the evening and once in the morning⸺so that we have a better chance of committing it to memory⸺can offer both a way to respond to that which brings us down and urge us towards joyous celebration and hope in the future simultaneously. 

In the Book of Esther, the antagonist Haman sets out to destroy the Jews after he becomes angered by Mordechai’s refusal to bow down to him.  Haman approaches the Persian King Ahasuerus for a decree to be issued to destroy the Jews.  Haman declares the antisemitic formula, saying “There is a certain people. . . dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of thy kingdom, whose laws are different from those of any other people and who do not obey the king’s laws (Esther 3:8).”  The Jews, Haman claims, are disloyal to their king because they are loyal to their religion and thus must be destroyed.  According to an article by Cantor Renata Braun, this argument has been used against the Jews for centuries.  Haman falsely accuses the Jews of being incapable of commitment to their own community and to their neighbors.  Ironically in the Book of Esther, King Ahasuerus’ life is saved by the Jew Mordechai from an evil assassination plot by palace eunuchs.

Purim’s response to what we can do to stand up against antisemitism is in the heroic courage of Esther, who risks her life to expose Haman to the king in order to save her people.  O’ that this strategy would work today, knowing that so many brave Jewish and non-Jewish individuals and institutions are indeed calling out the outrageous and vindictive acts of extremists, neo-Nazis, and conspiracy theorists, among others who continue to ascribe to the theme of “there is a certain people…,” often to deaf ears and not enough support or follow-up.

Contemporary scholar Yehuda Kurtzer of the Hartmann Institute and the eminent Rabbi Jonathan Sacks of blessed memory both offer powerful insights.  For Sacks, “Jews cannot fight anti-semitism alone.  The victim cannot cure the crime.  We have to stand together to fight hate; not Jews alone, but every single person who cares for the sanctity of life and for a free and just and tolerant society.  We must gather allies, because the hatred of Jews is the hatred of difference, which is the hatred of humanity.”  Kurtzer dismisses all the tactics of the American Jewish community that he deems ineffective in recent times: (1) calling out antisemitism in the party one doesn’t vote for inevitably widens the partisan divide and undermines a democratic culture; (2) taking to Twitter to name and shame antisemites, which results in amplifying and popularizing antisemitism more than it does to suppress it; (3) pouring dollars into protecting our institutions with robust security measures, which no one thinks will defeat antisemitism, but at least seeks to protect those inside those institutions from violence, albeit richer Jewish institutions will be safer than poorer ones; (4) trying to exact apologies or even fines from antisemites to get them to retract their beliefs; (5) being proud Jews, which only has the effect of making our commitment to Jewishness dependent on antisemitism as a motivator; and (6) beating up on those that are trying to protect us, e.g. organizations like the Anti-Defamation League, out of frustration at not beating our opponents. 

Instead, like Rabbi Sacks, Kurtzer urges us to embed in the police and criminal justice system the idea that antisemitism is their problem to defeat, and to make antisemitism anathema to America itself.  The effectiveness of this strategy came in the aftermath of the Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, when the mourning process was shared across the greater Pittsburgh community and, when antisemitism was repudiated by the general public.  Kurtzer is advocating more investment⸺across partisan divides, in relationships with local governments and law enforcement.  It means supporting organizations that combat hate, bias, and antisemitism however imperfect in their results.  It means education, awareness-raising, and relationship-building with other ethnic and faith communities.  It means public relations visits to Holocaust museums — so that we have the allies we need when we need them.  It means investing in mutuality of the Jewish community and American democracy. 

Yehuda Kurtzer gives us a reason to pivot to hope in the month of Adar, to intentionally conjure up the magic of Purim⸺the less than serious, sometimes ridiculous, and ultimately redeeming aspects of the story⸺the first queen Vashti’s defiance of a tyrannical and loopy king, the antics and intrigue of palace jealousies, an unredeemable villain, the acknowledgment, protection of, and the granting of full rights to a minority community by the reigning sovereignty, and finally, the deep and abiding need for each of us to pursue Jewish rituals and holiday celebrations that will always be a counterpoint to that which diminishes our humanity.

Temple B’nai Israel will celebrate Purim the weekend of March 17^th – 19^th.   At in-person Friday night services, we will read the Megillah, use our noisemakers (groggers  in Yiddish, ra’ashanim in Hebrew), and eat hamantashen (oznay haman in Hebrew – “Haman’s ears”).  And, be sure to join us on Sunday morning, March 19^th at 11:00 a.m. for both a childen’s and a grownup Purim Shpiel (play), lox and bagel brunch, and Purim freylech – a festive holiday!

L'shalom,

Rabbi Jan Katz 

• March 4 - PROGRAM CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER  Shabbat morning service on Zoom at 10:00 am
• March  19 - Celebrate Purim at TBI. 

Musings on the Megillah, a night of adult study for Purim on March 7 at 7:30 p.m
The URJ is partnering with Reform rabbis from small congregations to offer a new opportunity for adult congregants to study the Book of Esther.  Join other small congregations across the URJ network. 

Musings on the Megillah is open to everyone. Register to join  

1. TUESDAY, MARCH 21, 9:30 a.m.........wash potatoes, peel carrots and onions, place into groups for processing.......3 people needed
2. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 22, 9:00 a.m.......process and fry approximately 744 latkes......8 people, minimum, needed. 
3. THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 9:30 a.m..........bag and freeze......3 people needed

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