Reform Jewish poet Stacey Z. Robinson wrote this original poem for Purim: "I remember when he crooned / Come, dance for me! / And I would / just for him." But then...

We write to you on behalf of an Iranian asylum seeker by the name of Vashti. The circumstances under which she has become a “displaced person” are as follows.

This Purim, we recognize modern-day heroes for their courage, chutzpah, integrity, goodness, and – most of all – for inspiring us all to #BeLikeEsther.

The Purim story not only illustrates the role of women in our ancestral societies, but also highlights how women combated unfair gender expectations.

May the people of Belgium, when a sufficient time of grieving has passed, “enjoy light and gladness, happiness and honor,” like those of Persia long ago.

I must be honest. Purim is not my favorite holiday. Truth is, I was never a big costume person. Probably a therapist’s delight!

Nonetheless, I was a “good” mom and put aside my own mishagas (craziness) and helped my daughters with Purim costumes and parades so that we made it through enough years dressing up as characters from the story. However, it wasn't too long before they both expressed a similar “love” for costumes and parades and so Purim became a minor holiday in our house.

The faces in the photo that hangs in the new synagogue in Bad Segeberg haunt me. They seared themselves into my brain the first time I saw it, and they do not let go.

What were these 26 souls thinking when – in hiding – they celebrated Purim in 1936? Their eyes and their smiles betray fear, and their resolve to celebrate the festival with joy.

Purim is coming, a wild holiday that holds its place alongside Yom Kippur and Passover as a dramatic story in the Hebrew Bible’s accounts of redemption and revelation. But, unlike these other stories, Megillat Esther does not mention God. How can this be? According to the ancient rabbis, God is hidden.

Celebrating Purim as a family is one of the whimsical joys of Jewish living and parenting. It’s probably the only time during the year when you and your children can walk into services and scream – on purpose – and no one will care. In fact, we’re invited to