Purim’s spirit unites the Jewish community

Around the globe, Jews will celebrate Purim this year from the eve of March 23 through March 24 with much fanfare and excitement. Families will go door-to-door sporting costumes, while delivering candy and other foods, and sit down to a lavish meal with friends and relatives later in the day to celebrate the holiday. However, Purim has a much deeper purpose to it, a lesson applicable to each and every one of our lives.

One of the most joyous days of the Jewish calendar, Purim is a fun and enjoyable holiday for celebrants of all ages. The holiday commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from a royal decree issued in a plot by Haman, one of the king’s ministers, to annihilate the entire Jewish nation.

Mordecai and his cousin, Esther, who became a Persian queen, the heroes of the Purim story, foiled the plot and Haman and his sons were hanged.
Fasting to remember Esther’s desperate plea to the king to save her nation marks the day prior to the actual holiday. The Book of Esther, known as the megillah, which contains the Purim story, is publicly read on both the eve and morning of the holiday, and it is also customary to give large amounts of charity in honor of the miraculous salvation.

The delivery and exchange of food, called mishloach manot, is perhaps the most appealing part of the day for children, who go from home to home in costume to exchange candy and other foods with friends and family. These gifts have a much more unique significance than mere food.

Haman asserted to King Ahasuerus that the Jews were worthy of annihilation, as they are “scattered and dispersed from amongst the nations.” Haman pointed to a major flaw in the Jews of that time — the lack of unity and prevalence of strife in their community. To counteract the decree, the Jews united and prayed to God to inhibit the decree and save the nation. When God saw this unification by the Jewish people, he realized they were worthy of salvation.

Presenting gifts of food to friends and neighbors commemorates that display of unity. The purpose of mishloach manot is to facilitate friendships and strengthen relationships between individuals through the giving and receiving of gifts. This unity, called achdut in Hebrew, is one of the central themes of the Jewish religion.

Only when the Jews came together as a unified community did God have mercy upon them and spare their lives. Unity is what empowers communities and their residents to thrive and prosper. It is the driving force behind incredible ideas and collaboration, and it is what makes the Five Towns such a unique and incredible community.

At Purim, people should come together, unite as a community, and distance themselves from their differences, to make the impossible a reality and help their community to continue to flourish, while basking in the excitement and joy of the Purim spirit.

That’s the true miracle of Purim.