Purim - a joyous celebration that inspires hope

Purim, or the Feast of Lots, is a joyous holiday that recounts the saving of the Jews from a threatened massacre during the Persian period (539-330 BCE). It is celebrated this year beginning at sunset on Thursday, Feb. 25. The story of Purim is recounted in the Book of Esther, whose eponymous heroine plays the leading role in saving her people. The holiday is traditionally celebrated with wild abandon and with the giving of gifts to friends and the poor.

History of Purim

While the origins of Purim appear clear from the Book of Esther, historians have looked in vain for any sort of extra-biblic...