Purim creates unity in the Jewish community

Celebrate Queen Esther and Mordechai on March 4-5

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Across the world, Jews will celebrate Purim this year from the eve of March 4 through March 5 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 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. The plot was foiled by Mordechai and his cousin, Queen Esther, the heroes of the Purim story, and Haman and his sons were later hanged.
The day prior to the actual holiday is marked by fasting to commemorate Esther’s desperate plea to the king to save her nation. The Book of Esther, also 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 items 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.

Haman, who devised the plot to execute all Jews, 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 came together and prayed to God to inhibit the decree and save the nation. When God saw their unity, he realized they were worthy of salvation, as they were unified together as one nation.
Giving gifts of food to friends and neighbors commemorate 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 (achdut) is one of the central themes of the Jewish religion.
Only when the Jews got together as a united 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 so unique.
This Purim, let us come together, united as a community, and distance ourselves from our differences, so we can make the impossible a reality, and allow our shared community to continue to flourish.
That’s the true miracle of Purim.