Upcoming Holiday
Purim
21st Annual Congregation Beth Jacob Purim Parade
Sunday, March 4th, 2012
Congregation Beth Jacob’s Annual Purim Parade and Festival jump starts the joy of Purim for the past 21 years here in Atlanta. Hundreds of adults and children in-costume and floats march down LaVista Road dazzling the hundreds of spectators. Food, fun and Purim atmosphere fill the Beth Jacob parking lot and building. The festival features rides and games for children of all ages, delicious food for everyone and a chance to greet Jews from all over the city!
For more information on the Purim Parade click here
Purim Schedule
Click here to view the Purim Schedule
Purim Seudah
Click here to view the flyer
Purim Cards
Cards purchased from Rabbi’s Charity Fund can fulfill your obligation to give charity on Purim (matanos l’evyonim) and can be given to friends and family in lieu of multiple shalach manos. All proceeds will benefit those in need in our community both during and after Purim. The cards were designed by Beth Jacob members Laura Bogart and Marcy Karon, and are available in the shul office, call (404) 633-0551. Suggested donation is $3 each. Checks should be made payable to Beth Jacob Charity Fund.
About Purim
The story of Purim is told in the Biblical book of Esther. The heroes of the story are Esther, a beautiful young Jewish woman living in Persia, and her cousin Mordecai, who raised her as if she were his daughter. Esther was taken to the house of Ahasuerus, King of Persia, to become part of his harem. King Ahasuerus loved Esther more than his other women and made Esther queen, but the king did not know that Esther was a Jew, because Mordecai told her not to reveal her identity.
The villain of the story is Haman, an arrogant, egotistical advisor to the king. Haman hated Mordecai because Mordecai refused to bow down to Haman, so Haman plotted to destroy the Jewish people. In a speech that is all too familiar to Jews, Haman told the king, "There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your realm. Their laws are different from those of every other people's, and they do not observe the king's laws; therefore it is not befitting the king to tolerate them." Esther 3:8. The king gave the fate of the Jewish people to Haman, to do as he pleased to them. Haman planned to exterminate all of the Jews.
Mordecai persuaded Esther to speak to the king on behalf of the Jewish people. This was a dangerous thing for Esther to do, because anyone who came into the king's presence without being summoned could be put to death, and she had not been summoned. Esther fasted for three days to prepare herself, then went into the king. He welcomed her. Later, she told him of Haman's plot against her people. The Jewish people were saved, and Haman and his ten sons were hanged on the gallows that had been prepared for Mordecai.
The book of Esther is unusual in that it is the only book of the Bible that does not contain the name of G-d. In fact, it includes virtually no reference to G-d. Mordecai makes a vague reference to the fact that the Jews will be saved by someone else, if not by Esther, but that is the closest the book comes to mentioning G-d. Thus, one important message that can be gained from the story is that G-d often works in ways that are not apparent, in ways that appear to be chance, coincidence or ordinary good luck.
