Archive for 2019
God is in Control: The Spiritual Message of the Purim Story
From Aish.com, this animated video (04:46) retells the story of Purim as told in Megillat Esther, focusing on how the events of the story can be viewed as either serendipitous coincidences or the
A Halachic Discussion of Women’s Obligation in Megillat Esther
In this video (08:40), Rabbi Joel Finkelstein summarizes the various Orthodox perspectives in the halachic discussion regarding a women’s obligation to hear the reading of Megillat Esther on Purim, as well as whether or not it
Purim on the Streets of Israel
Produced by i24News, this short news clip (04:38) shares the spirit of Purim in Israel, where people of all ages throughout the country dress up and enjoy public parades and street parties. Filmed mostly
Printable Hebrew & English Megillat Esther
From Chabad.org, this 13-page long PDF document contains the side-by-side Hebrew and English text of Megillat Esther, the biblical scroll which tells the story of Purim, as well as a brief summary of the
Printable English Megillat Esther With Commentary
Published by the Kehot Publication society of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, this 14-page long PDF document is an English translation of Megillat Esther, the biblical scroll which tells the story of Purim, including a
Matanot L’Evyonim: Gifts to the Poor
From the Zdaka Center in Israel, this thorough article introduces the commandment to give gifts to the poor on Purim, including the roots and significance of the mitzvah, and when, how, to whom
How To Fulfill the Four Mitzvot of Purim
This detailed succinct article by Chaviva Gordon-Bennett provides a thorough introduction to the basic requirements of each of the four commandments that need to be fulfilled on Purim: Megillat Esther, Mishloah Manot, Seudat Purim and Matanot L’Evyonim. Published on ThoughtCo,
‘What makes one an Israeli?’ Negotiating identities in everyday representations of ‘Israeliness’
Written by Rakefet Sela Sheffy from Tel Aviv University’s Unit of Culture Research, this 19-page long article explores the construction of an Israeli identity not found in public political discourse, based on open responses to
State and Religion in Israel: Possible Scenarios
Written by Shlomo Hasson, this 104 page booklet examines the role of religion in Israeli society. The author explores four fundamental struggles of this subject – the place of religion in public life,
Israel’s Religiously Divided Society (Pew Research Center, 2016
Produced by Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about global trends, this 237-page long report provides the full findings of the 2014-2015 study, which provides insight into Israel’s polarized society,