These 22nd and 23rd sections of our annual cycle of Torah readings (Vayakhei-Pekudei) opens as the Israelites are commanded to observe the Shabbat. Moses continues his acquisition of donations from the people to continue the construction and...

A student’s arrival on a college campus is often accompanied by a great deal of uncertainty. Students must adjust to a new environment, new schedules, and a new sense of freedom and autonomy. In response to these changes, students, even those that go...

I’m definitely in need of a laugh right about now, and what do you know? Purim is here! Purim – an exceedingly joyous, fun, and humorous holiday — celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people by Queen Esther from evil Haman’s plot of genocide. Purim...

Purim, or the Feast of Lots, is a joyous holiday that recounts the saving of the Jews from a threatened massacre during the Persian period (539-330 BCE). The story of Purim is recounted in the Book of Esther, whose eponymous heroine plays the leading...

Chag Purim Sameach! As we move closer to the festivities of Purim, I began wondering if any of our favorite Jewish a capella groups had created new, soon-to-be viral parody videos in celebration of next week’s holiday. Sadly, the big hitters such...

The Book of Esther, also known as the Megillah, is the story commemorating the saving of the Jewish people from Haman in the ancient Persian Empire. Esther was a young Jewish woman living in the Persian diaspora who finds favor with the king,...

If you are a person who values attention to detail in the clothes that you wear, then Parshat Tetzaveh is the portion for you. In this week’s portion, we find an elaborate description of what Aaron, Moses’ brother, is commanded to wear when he...

Purim starts at sundown March 6, which means it’s time to get your best costumes ready, rehearse for the spiel, and of course, plan what to put in your mishloach manot, Purim gift baskets. Aside from being among the two most fun Hebrew words to...

Two of the four mitzvot that are traditionally fulfilled during Purim involve food: giving out mishloah manot (gifts of food), and enjoying a festive meal in the afternoon known as the Seudat Purim. There are several foods that are often associated...

The carnivalesque Jewish holiday of Purim celebrates a tale of Jewish survival in the face of near genocide masterminded by the megalomaniac villain of the piece, Haman. The holiday is celebrated with a public reading of the Purim story as well as costumes, plays, carnivals, feasting,...

Looking for Purim events in St. Louis? Here are several events held by local synagogues and Jewish organizations, organized by day. Purim, celebrated on the 14th of Adar, begins Monday night, March 6, and continues through Tuesday, March 7, 2023. ...

In the biblical book named after her, Esther is a young Jewish woman living in the Persian diaspora who finds favor with the king, becomes queen, and risks her life to save the Jewish people from destruction when the court official Haman persuades the...