Purim

Purim is Coming

Fri, 23 Feb 2007 16:28:21 -0500

Purim falls this year on Thursday night March 20 to Friday, March 21, 2008. This is a leap year in the Jewish calendar and the extra month is "Adar I" and Purim gets pushed back to Adar II.

Enjoy these articles. When you see the upside down, "It's Adar" logo please be suspect of any facts in the article!

Don't miss out on the great offerings of Purim resources from our resources library!

Reconstructing the Megillah: Or Hadash Commissions First Truly Reconstructionist Megillat Esther

Lisa Tuttle — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:48:30 -0400

Rabbi Kevin Hale laying out the Megillat Esther scroll

An Unusual Megillah
By Marissa Brostoff

This article originally appeared in The Forward and is reprinted with permission.

The Scroll of Esther is getting a makeover from several kids in Pennsylvania, a Reconstructionist scribe and a computer graphics program.

Congregation Or Hadash, a small Reconstructionist synagogue located in the Philadelphia suburb of Fort Washington, has commissioned a sofer to create a megillah that incorporates drawings by students in its religious school.

"We are creating the first truly Reconstructionist megillah," said Rabbi Joshua Waxman, who leads Or Hadash. (To boot, Hale is the first ordained Reconstructionist sofer.)

"It's a kosher scroll, and we use the traditional text, but we engage with it and try to inject our own voices into it and experience it as something fresh."

The megillah project was conceived partly as a celebration of the congregation's 25th birthday. But Waxman was adamant that it would not be an ordinary present.

"It's easy to commission something," Waxman said. "It would have been easy to make a few phone calls to our more generous donors, but instead we invited everyone to help underwrite it for $1.80 a letter. I find it faintly distasteful when synagogues virtually auction off ritual items - you know, 'You, too, can own the Song of the Sea for $15,000.'"

To Waxman and some of his congregants, it also seemed too easy to let a sofer do all the work. So religious-school students were encouraged to submit illustrations of scenes from the Purim story, including "Vashti saying 'no,'" "Mordechai at the gate refusing to bow down," and "Haman being led to the stake."

The result, a range of 20 colorful drawings by artists aged between 5 and 14, was compiled by Hale and grafted onto parchment next to the appropriate portions of text. "It's really an illuminated manuscript," Hale said.

Further enlivening the text, Hale inscribed the names of key characters of the story in different colors. Haman's name - which, Waxman pointed out, is often set aside in traditional megillot to give cantors a chance to work up the contempt with which they must utter it - is in red; Esther's is in green, and Mordechai's is in blue.

Despite the unusual features of this megillah, those involved in its production say it's kosher. "The rules for writing a kosher scroll are more flexible in this case, because nowhere in the megillah is the name of God mentioned," said Gail Morrison-Hall, an art teacher and Or Hadash member who coordinated the scroll-making project.

The scroll was set to be unveiled at a celebration at the synagogue yesterday, four days before Purim. Hale, who lives in Leeds, Massachusetts, was slated to be on hand to teach a crash course in scroll-writing for the congregation's kids. "Who knows, maybe it will inspire a future scribe," Waxman said.

Purim Pics

Rabbi Shai Gluskin — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 16:49:45 -0500

Future King Witnesses Megillah ReadingI had a great time at Purim this year where the Reconstructionist Dorshei Derekh minyan celebrated together with Minyan Masorti which is Conservative.

I took some pics. I'm sharing some of them here. Please share your pics here as well. You need to be logged in to this site in order to do so.

Make sure it's okay with the person you photographed for you to submit their photo.

Once logged in click the Add Content or create content links. Select "Image" and then make sure to select "Purim 5767/2007" from the drop down menu when you are filling in the form. E-mail me if you are having any trouble. I can't wait to see your pics.

RRC Graduating Student Adam Zeff and Rabbi Lenny Gordon

Betsy Teutsch

Mordecai Kaplan Descendant of Jesus

Dan Cedarbaum — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 16:29:00 -0500

Inspired by two recent New York Times stories, in my never-ending quest to be of service to the JRF, I arranged for two teams of crack researchers in New York, one from Mt. Sinai Hospital and the other from Columbia-Presbyterian, to study DNA samples obtained from Mordecai Kaplan’s tallit katan. The results are now in, and I am proud to announce that they prove, within the usual bounds of statistical certainty, that Kaplan was in fact a direct descendant of Jesus of Nazareth.

“If you think about it, this explains a lot,” said JRF Executive Vice president Dr. Carl Sheingold. We have always wondered, for example, why Kaplan was obsessed with the concept of “salvation,” which struck so many commentators as a Christian term. Now we know. Also, many of Kaplan’s colleagues thought that Kaplan’s vision for the future of Judaism was messianic. Of course it was!

Reached for comment on his way to Bethlehem, RRA Executive Director Rabbi Richard Hirsh said that his main reaction was one of relief, as the RRA’s contentious discussions about a new interfaith marriage policy now seem pretty silly.

Study Raises Possibility of Jewish Tie for Jefferson
By NICHOLAS WADE
February 28, 2007

Was Thomas Jefferson the first Jewish president? Researchers studying Jefferson’s Y chromosome have found it belongs to a lineage that is rare in Europe but common in the Middle East, raising the possibility that the third president of the United States had a Jewish ancestor many generations ago.

No biological samples of Jefferson remain, but his Y chromosome, the genetic element that determines maleness, is assumed to be the same as that carried by living descendants of Field Jefferson, his paternal uncle. These relatives donated cells for an inquiry into whether Jefferson had fathered a hidden family with his slave Sally Hemings, a possibility that most historians had scoffed at.

Crypt Held Bodies of Jesus and Family, Film Says
By LAURIE GOODSTEIN
February 27, 2007

A documentary by the Discovery Channel claims to provide evidence that a crypt unearthed 27 years ago in Jerusalem contained the bones of Jesus of Nazareth. Moreover, it asserts that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene, that the couple had a son, named Judah, and that all three were buried together.

The claims were met with skepticism by several archaeologists and New Testament scholars, as well as outrage by some Christian leaders. The contention that Jesus was married, had a child and left behind his bones — suggesting he was not bodily resurrected — contradicts core Christian doctrine.

Reconstructionist and Chabad Movements to Merge

Rabbi Shai Gluskin — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 14:31:40 -0500

Dr. Carl Sheingold Informing JRF Staff of Upcoming Changes[This is a work of fiction and is presented with great respect for all the streams within Judaism. Ed.] The Jewish Telegraphic Agency reported today that leaders from the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation and Chabad Lubavitch will be announcing the merger of their movements in a press conference scheduled for this Sunday, March 4, the 15th of Adar.

Sources close to the negotiations were amazed by the exuberance, nay euphoria, expressed by professionals and lay people of the two organizations.

"No one is going to believe this!" giggled JRF's Executive Vice President Dr. Carl Sheingold. Negotiators from Chabad's international headquarters reportedly led all the negotiators in raucous song and dance. One said, "To bring liberal Jews under the wings of halacha (Jewish law) is definite proof that the Moshiach (messiah) is coming soon!"

Apparently some of the details are still being worked out, but here is what JTA reporters have found out so far.

Concessions made by the Reconstructionists:

The Reconstructionist Movement will drop the word "post" in its expression "post halachic" thereby committing itself to the rule of Jewish law.
The Reconstructionist movement will put back all references to mashiach (there was no agreement on how to spell this word) previously removed from its liturgy.
Each child educated in a Reconstructionist school will be taught at least three moshiach-related songs, one of which must be a chant of "We want moshiach now!"

Concessions made by Chabad:

The mechitza comes down. Chabad commits to extending its pre-existing commitment to the superiority of women's spirituality by evolving halacha to embrace full equality for women within the halacha including all areas of ritual practice.
Chabad agreed to the full welcoming of gay/lesbian and transgendered Jews in all aspects of Jewish life.

Reports from insiders to the negotiations explained some of the complexities of the negotiations and the interesting compromises. For example, one source reported there are some significant advocates within the Reconstructionist movement that already were pushing for re-embracing traditional Jewish liturgy. The sources explained that these Reconstructionists understand messiah in its mytho-poetic sense. Mytho-poetic sensibilities are rising in post-modern thought and it makes it easier for Reconstructionists to speak the language of moshiach.

In fact, there might be a written piece in the agreement, asked for by the Reconstructionists, that expresses that Judaism does not have dogma, that beliefs are up to the individual. The Reconstructionists emphasized that they would not make their commitments to halacha without absolute clarity from the Chabad side that acknowledged that Judaism does not mandate beliefs.

Rabbi Dan Ehrenkrantz, President of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College could not be reached for comment.

Insiders also report that there were texts found buried within Chabad headquarters that prophecy about a full acceptance of women and gays. Reportedly these texts will be presented to the public as having ancient origins.

As with any negotiation each side was trumpeting its successes. The Reconstructionists claimed victory at expanding the meaning of inclusion within Judaism and Chabad touted the greatest success ever in bringing liberal Jews under the wings of Jewish law.

Some gay Reconstructionist rabbis were contacted and asked their reactions. Rabbi J. Sung Cline said, "I always wanted to be part of a halachic movement. But I couldn't be a part of a movement and deny who I was at the same time. Now I can have both. I'm thrilled. Maybe the messiah really is coming!"

Carl Talking at Staff Meeting

Rabbi Shai Gluskin — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 12:53:20 -0500

Dr. Carl Sheingold explaining to JRF staff some of the practical issues relating to the impending merger with Chabad. Isaac Saposnik appears to be eating quickly to finish up some food that, though vegetarian, was not under kosher supervision and therefore won't be allowed in the new era. Rabbi Nancy Epstein is taking notes diligently. She was reported as saying, "I like trying new things." Rabbi Shawn Zevit was enthusiastic about the collaborations that might be possible. He was looking forward to bringing his "Values-baseed Decision Making" toolbox from Chabad house to Chabad house. Read the news article.

The Slow of Esther

Ilana Streit — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 17:07:04 -0500

The Slow of Esther (One)

Esther was preparing to become a hero.
Esther was becoming a hero.
And she did this by not eating for three days??

That doesn’t quite sit right with me.

Esther was getting in touch with herself, her voice, her power.

Maybe she had to take time for herself, to grow into herself. Maybe formal palace meals were big occasions, and she stayed away from them for a few days while she gathered her courage and formulated her plan. Maybe that's what "fasting" meant.

I don’t think that she didn’t eat during this time. I think that she stayed away from public eating, stayed away from being in public altogether.

She fed herself food, and she also nourished herself by taking space for herself.

And she slowed down.

She slowed down, so she could catch up with herself, start to believe what Mordecai said: maybe this is what I am here for.

This year, I honor each of us in our inner Esther's, as we take the space we need to grow into ourselves. And I honor each of us in our inner Mordecai's, as we support each other to grow.

This year, I wrote down on my calendar that March 1 is the Slow of Esther.

The Slow of Esther (Two)

This year, I wrote down on my calendar that March 1 is the Slow of Esther.

I did not have to cross out "the Fast of Esther" in my calendar, because my calendar didn’t already have "the Fast of Esther" written on that day. Because it’s not a Jewish calendar.

I am an American Jew. I do not live in Israel. I will not be surrounded by fresh hamentaschen of all varieties at the shuk this year. The air I'm breathing in America isn't Jewish.

But I'm breathing Jewishly, infusing the air around me with Torah. And this Torah is both deeply rooted, and new in the moment.

It takes a lot of effort to be Jewish here in America, something I don’t usually notice because I’m so used to it.

In the constant effort it takes to be an observant Jew here in America, a freshness emerges.

And for that, I am grateful.

Four Lessons We Learn from Purim

Divrei-Torah Editor — Fri, 23 Feb 2007 15:58:05 -0500

In this teaching Rabbi Elliott Tepperman of Congregation B'nai Keshet in Montclair, NJ teaches about our need to acknowledge the limits of our control:

Purim reminds us that much in life is a matter of chance. Where we are born, who our parents are, the friends we meet, what we look like, etc. are all things that are either completely or mostly out of our control. We work hard to exert control in those areas that we can but it is just as important to learn how to roll with the punches and how to accept our blessings.

A Sumptuous Palace Feast 'To Die For'

Lisa Tuttle — Wed, 21 Feb 2007 17:03:42 -0500

This short article is reported to have been written by the wife of King Ahasuerus’ Chamberlain Hatach, food editor of the The Persian Village Voice. Unfortunately we were only able to obtain an excerpt and not the whole megillah.

(10 Adar, Shushan) The Kingdom is still abuzz with the news of the delectable two-night private banquet commissioned by Queen Esther of Shushan for her husband, King Ahasuerus of Persia. Word has it that the idea for the feast came to the Queen while donning her royal apparel in the inner court of the palace: "I thought, heck--why not have a wine feast? The King drinks an awful lot of wine and it's been forever since I've gotten to entertain in my own house."

A slight stir was caused when the guest of honor, the King's Royal Advisor, Haman, was asked to leave his gift of a kid seethed in its mother's milk at the door. "I thought it was pot luck. Who knew?" was his response. Ever since moving into the palace, the Queen has been driving the banquet staff crazy ordering two sets of every dish and utensil. "Her eating habits are a little weird, but boy can she cook!" stated a close friend who asked to remain unnamed.

On the first night of feasting, Queen Esther herself presented her guests with a delectable platter of chicken with chickpeas, saffron, raisins, ginger and couscous. Even though she has thousands of servants at her beck and call, the Queen was determined to prepare the dish herself and serve it to her guests personally. On the second night the main dish was . . . chicken with chickpeas, saffron, raisins, ginger, and couscous. When asked about her menu choice, the Queen replied, "I have to be honest with you. This is the only thing I know how to cook--really. My Uncle Mordechai who sits outside the palace gates told me it is important for a girl to be able to cook one thing in the event she is not taken out to dinner."

Though the banquet was a private one--set in the Queen's chambers--a separate party was convened for the 720 runners-up of the King's beauty contest and their sponsors.

As far as we can tell, a good time was had by all. Yet, although delighted to see that dessert was served in the shape of his hat, Haman was concerned that the braided bread, for which the Queen is the talk of the town, was served to him twisted in the shape of a noose.

Chicken with Chickpeas, Saffron, Raisins, Ginger and Couscous for 800

400 kilograms of chickpeas (or use canned)

1200 cloves of garlic, halved

salt as required

400 medium chickens, about 400 kilograms in total

1 pound each ground ginger and pepper

5 handfuls pulverized saffron

1 pound turmeric

6 pounds fresh parsley, chopped fine

1 stick of cinnamon per chicken, about 8 cm. long

200 onions, chopped finely

2 urns olive oil

200 onions, sliced thinly

5 pounds raisins

1. Have the servants sort through the chickpeas, cover with water and soak overnight.

2. In a small bowl, make a paste of half the garlic cloves and 1kilo of salt. With this mixture, rub the chickens inside and out. Let stand 10-15 minutes and then rinse the chickens under running water. Pat dry.

3. In another bowl, combine the ginger, pepper and remaining garlic and grind to a paste. Add an urn of water and mix well. Rub the chickens inside and out with this mixture, cover and keep cold overnight.

4. Drain the chickpeas, rinse well and place in a large saucepan. Pour over fresh water to cover, bring to the boil and reduce the flame. Cover and simmer until the chickpeas are tender (about an hour).

5. Transfer the chicken to a lightly greased casserole and pour over any liquids remaining in the bowl. Add the saffron, turmeric, parsley, cinnamon, chopped onion and olive oil. Pour over 400 cups of water (or stock) and bring to the boil. Reduce the flame, cover and simmer for 1 hour, turning the chicken 4-5 times. After one hour, remove the chicken and set aside to keep warm.

6. Add the sliced onion, cooked chickpeas and raisins to the casserole and cook until the onions are soft and the sauce has reduced to a thick gravy. Return the chicken to the sauce and heat through. Correct the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, transfer the chicken to a preheated unbelievably deep serving dish, spoon over the chickpeas and sauce and serve immediately with couscous made according to the directions on the box.

7. Serve with kosher wine.

Until we eat again . . .

Lisa

Lisa Kelvin Tuttle is the Communications Director for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation. She has professional experience in the gourmet, catering, and health-food fields, as well as being an experienced kosher camp cook. This article firstappeared in the March 2006 Purim spoof issue of The Philadelphia Jewish Voice, for which Lisa writes a monthly food column, The Kosher Table.

Shande for the Goyim Awards

Rabbi Brant Rosen — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 16:36:34 -0500

Rabbi Brant Rosen
[Note about Purim and the traditions of humor in the weeks leading up to it. Ed.]

Though we Jews do alright in the moral exemplar department, it must be admitted that we’ve been known to induce wincing on occasion. Yes, it’s time for:

Rabbi Rosen’s “Shandeh for the Goyim Awards” (aka “Jews Behaving Badly”)

Bad start to the “make of you a great nation” thing…
Abraham marries off his wife Sarah to Pharaoh to placate the Egyptians.

And I’ll bet he’s a hip-hop fan too…
Aaron and Miriam publicly dis their brother Moses for marrying a black woman.

On the bright side, I hear Yavneh is beautiful this time of year…
Jewish internecine fighting results in the fall of the 2nd Temple and Roman conquest of Jerusalem.

See Under: “No Greater Honor”
The Union of Orthodox Rabbis excommunicates Reconstructionist founder Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan.

What do you mean there’s no kosher meal?
Ultra-Orthodox rabbis attend a Holocaust denial conference in Iran.

Hey, you schmooze, you lose…
Jerry Seinfeld refuses to pay an orthodox Jewish real estate agent her $100,000.00 commission because she wouldn’t show him a property on Shabbat.

Let’s add another ten years for the goofy nickname…
I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby is tried for leaking information about an undercover CIA agent to the press.

But at least the napkin rings were tasteful…
Defense contractor David H. Brooks holds a Bat Mitzvah party for his daughter at the Rainbow Room for an alleged $10 million, with entertainment provided by 50 Cent, Tom Petty and Aerosmith, among others.

It’s not just for American presidents any more…
The President of Israel, Moshe Katzav, resigns his post after allegations of sexual misconduct.

Trust me, nothing good can come of studying Torah with Tom DeLay…
Jack A. Abramoff pleads guilty in Federal Court to five criminal felonies, including defrauding Native American tribes and corruption of public officials.