Michael Kuttner: On Shabbat Zachor we reminded ourselves again about the agenda of the Biblical Amalekites and on Purim we celebrate our escape from Persian genocidal catastrophe.
Jeremy Rosen: Purim is the happiest and craziest day in the Jewish calendar and the only festival that celebrates an event in the Diaspora. But is it really?
Hundreds of Jewish young adults attended the NSW Australasian Union of Jewish Students (AUJS) Purim party celebration at El Topo Basement, in the heart of Bondi Junction in Sydney.
Should you suddenly find yourself surrounded by a bunch of young girls dressed up like Catwoman during the month of March, you may well have stumbled into a Purim street party.
Jewish communities worldwide have this week been celebrating the Festival of Purim which commemorates the deliverance of Persian Jews from genocidal intentions.
Countless generations have found it amusing. Some are completely scandalised. The halachah tells us that on Purim one should imbibe "until one does not know the difference between 'Cursed be Haman' and 'Blessed be Mordechai'". A funny Purim story.
2014 saw one of the biggest young adult (ages 18-26) Purim parties on record, with more than 200 attendants packing into beautiful Set Bar for a night to remember!
As we celebrate Purim this year it is imperative that we take time to remember what it is we are exactly celebrating and why it has relevance for us today. Unfortunately, this Festival in our religious calendar has become for too many a time to get drunk senseless and therefore an ideal opportunity to suffer from amnesia as to why we are celebrating in the first place.
