In Adar, we are supposed to be happy, but I imagine that you, like me, are not in the mood to celebrate.
As Purim approaches, with its invitation to eat, drink, and be merry, our minds are elsewhere: on the starving families in Gaza, the hostages running out of time, and the terrible path we are on.
Join T’ruah to mark Ta’anit Esther, the Fast of Esther. This day, which precedes Purim each year, commemorates the fast that Esther, her handmaidens, and all the Jews of Shushan took part in before Esther bravely went before the king to plead her people’s case.
Together, we will reflect, grieve, and learn with Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie of Lab/Shul in New York City.
Rabbi Lau-Lavie will help us navigate the tension of the joyful redemption of the Jews in the Book of Esther, the story’s disturbingly violent ending, and the grief and fear many of us are experiencing right now.