Purim continues as a source of revelry. The Jewish community in South Florida parties hard with carnivals, festive meals, and holiday events. Costumed children parade through the streets. Delicious treats, sweets, and hamentaschen prove irresistible. Charity is distributed. The day is filled with fun.
Perhaps the trials and tribulations inherent to the Jewish experience make for a heightened celebration when disaster is averted. There are, it seems, too many somber times of remembrance and mourning.
Purim, of course, is the quintessential tale of Jewish deliverance. The Book of Esther, the megillah, chronicles the riveting story. What started out as a deadly fait accompli was turned around. The Jews were saved.
Ancient Persia was the original scene of the drama. Grand vizier Haman convinced King Achashveirosh that the Jews needed to be wiped out. Mordechai would not bow down. The group was intransigent.
Ancient Persia has a new name. It is now Iran. Haman and King Achashveirosh are long gone. Several weeks ago Iran launched two ballistic missiles. The rockets had a phrase emblazoned on its side. The writing was in Hebrew. It said, “Israel must be wiped out.”
Yes, Solomon was right. He wrote in Ecclesiastes, “What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.”
Hopefully, the tenacious Jewish nation will overcome this newest threat and have many celebrations in its future.