Purim: More important than ever this year | Commentary
The rise of antisemitism in our world today impresses upon us the importance of observing our Jewish rituals. In a world full of shadows Purim brings frivolity, humor and joy! Lest you think a Purim Shpiel is just a silly exercise in comedy, in fact, it brings strength to our people and helps heal our world.
Our people have used laughter to diminish the power our adversaries have had over us. Take “The Producers”, for instance, which pokes fun in a most profoundly serious way, at the Nazi regime especially Adolf Hitler (sound grogger here).
The Book of Esther, which we read on Purim dates back to the 2nd Century BCE. The story, however, still resonates as harshly relevant. Basically Ahasuerus, the all-powerful king of Persia, banishes his queen Vashti for failing to appear before him when bidden. The new chosen queen is Esther, cousin and adopted daughter of Mordecai, the Jew.
Mordecai’s bitter enemy at court is the wicked Haman, the king’s right-hand man. Because Mordecai fails to bow before him, Haman plots not only Mordecai’s death but also the extermination of all the Jews in the Persian empire. Mordecai calls on Queen Esther to save her people. Esther heroically risks the king’s wrath by appearing unbidden before him. She invites King Ahasuerus and Haman to two banquets where she persuades the king both to save her people and also to hang Haman on the very gallows he had constructed for Mordecai. The king’s edict to kill the Jews is reversed, and the Jews instead get revenge on their would-be persecutors. They celebrate their victory by initiating the festival of Purim.
“The joyous nature of the Purim celebration often carries a serious message behind the smile. The Purim Shpiel often takes a look at world politics with various world leaders playing the roles of heroes and villains. By offering a mocking commentary, the Purim Shpiel presents a Jewish version of political justice in the world.” (From My Jewish Learning).
For Rabbi Richard Agler D.D. and I, the Purim Shpiel has the perfect plot to parody. We use Broadway, films and theater as a foundation to compose poignantly witty lyrics to bolster the courage of Esther, the bravery of Mordechai and the evil of Haman. Members of congregations and organizations all over the world began to visit our website, www.purimshpiels.com in December and carefully selected the perfect shpiel that will fit their needs. With 40
shpiel themes and over 400 songs the search always produces success for the hopeful Purim shpiel seeker.
We are very proud to say that our shpiels are being performed by synagogues and Jewish organizations all over the US, Canada, Australia, England, New Zealand, Mexico and Israel. It gives us much joy to know that smiles are being shared in so many places. Accompanying this article your will see a merry group of Jewish thespians performing our Beach Boys Purim and trust me it was “Fun, Fun, Fun”. It’s a Mitzvah to tell the story of Purim but the people who participate in our Purim shpiels do another Mitzvah as well because a substantial part of the donations received are sent directly to the Talia
Agler Girls Shelter in Nairobi, Kenya.
Talia Faith Agler (1985-2012) sought to better the world—and succeeded in doing so— through her work, her wit and her love. The Tali Fund has been established to support her ongoing work and dreams. It financially supports the Talia Agler Girls Shelter, an arm of the Centre for Domestic Training and Development in Nairobi, Kenya. It supports educational efforts and programs to encourage organ donation and other projects consistent with her values.
The Tali Fund is a 501 (c) (3) corporation registered in the State of Florida.
Purim Sameach to all!
Rabbi Stephanie Shore is the spiritual leader of CyberSynagogue.