Shabbat Gathering: Purim: The Chapter Nine Project.

Dear Chevrei, as is our custom, we will gather tonight at 5.45p ct to welcome Shabbat. These are the coordinates:

Zoom
Meeting ID: 883 8469 4181
Password: 822665
Phone: +1 312 626 6799

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Here we go.

On this Shabbat, March 23, Erev Purim, Rabbi Laurie will lead a discussion centered on an initiative from the Renewal movement called the Chapter Nine Project. Specifically, it’s about finding alternative narratives to the ninth chapter of the Book of Esther. What’s the ninth chapter of Esther? Glad you asked.

I think you know the general outline of the Purim story based on the Book of Esther. Chapter nine is where the Jews kill more than 75,000 gentiles in Shushan. This is after Esther saves the Jews of Shushan without a single Jew killed. From a modern perspective, this seems like a disproportionate response. Killing Haman is one thing. Killing 75,000 innocents is another. Suffice it to say that this is in stark contrast to the joy and jolly time we create to celebrate the holiday.

Envisioning Wholeness and Peace

The Chapter Nine Project’s subtitle is Envisioning Wholeness and Peace: New Endings for Purim’s Book of Esther. Ten Jewish leaders have contributed to a pamphlet about this and here’s the link to it.

The context for the Chapter Nine Project is the war between Israel and Palestine and the necessity of making peace. And that’s about all I’ll say about that.

And may it be for all of us a blessing.

See you tonight!
Gut Shabbes!

All my love,
brian.

PS

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