Purim when is 2011

None of this is coincidence, and it is not new. This same hatred animated Haman in his quest to annihilate the Jews of the Persian Empire, first expressed in his slanderous council to King Ahasuerus:. The current events in Iran are but a small example of how this ancient story is replaying itself today.

Worldwide anti-Semitism, with its accompanying discrimination and violence against Jews, is at a level the world has not seen since the events preceding the Holocaust. As a result, world opinion not only denies the State of Israel the right to protect her people, but ignores the basic human right to self-defense against those who intend to murder. A pivotal moment in the rescue of the Jews results from this undistorted history. Even if Iran will not learn from its own history, we must.

She is writing her dissertation on the biblical book of Esther and its relevance to the current worldwide rise of anti-Semitism, as well as the right of the State of Israel to defend herself against those who intend to annihilate her. Comments are visible to subscribers only. Log in or subscribe to join the conversation.

Support First Things by turning your adblocker off or by making a donation. Close Login. Web Exclusives First Thoughts. Intellectual Retreats Erasmus Lectures. Video Podcasts. Prev Article. Next Article. Articles by Tricia Aven. Discovering that Mordecai is Jewish, he decides to punish the entire community, decreeing that all Jews will be killed. The king approves, and Mordecai declares a time of mourning and penitence for the Jews.

Meanwhile, Esther, the wife of the king and the niece of Mordecai, asks all the Jews to fast with her for three days this part of the story is honored every year on the eve of Purim and is known as the Fast of Esther. The king does not know that Esther is Jewish. The king also does not know that Mordecai has foiled an attempt on his life. At the end of the fast, Esther arranges a succession of feasts, inviting both Haman and the king.

Esther reveals that she is Jewish and that Haman wishes to kill her and her people. The king decrees that Haman should be hanged instead, and Mordecai eventually takes Haman's place alongside the king. During the reading of the Book of Esther, every mention of Haman's name is drowned out by festive noisemakers called groggers , shouting, stamping and every manner of booing. Mordecai's name is cheered.

But by night's end, the difference between Haman and Mordecai, between good and evil, becomes nonexistent. Participants wear masks to acknowledge that goodness, holiness and God are most often hidden. Illustrating this, the Book of Esther is the only book in the Jewish canon that does not mention God's name.

Purim falls every year on the 14th of Adar in the Jewish calendar , but this date varies on the Gregorian calendar. Like all Jewish holidays, Purim begins and ends at sundown. The following are the dates for Purim for the next several years.

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