Arlene Kushner | March 12, 2025
Tradition on-line
Purim is almost here: Thursday night, Friday, and then Sunday for Shushan Purim (observed in ancient walled cities).
The messages it carries – as we read and consider the Megillat Ester – are particularly vital this year.
We learn about threats to the existence of Am Yisrael – which arise in every generation – and how they can be overcome with dedication and perseverance. Haman, who sought to destroy the Jews, was an Amalekite – of the tribe of Amalek; he was descended from Agag, king of the Amalekites; from Torah we are bidden to wipe out Amalek.
Today there are debates as to whether the members of Hamas are Amalek. This cannot be tracked, but what is readily identifiable is the spirit of Amalek – the intention to destroy Israel. Thus, while there is no commandment to destroy every single member of Hamas, along with their families, we are obligated to take them down, degrade them, weaken them, so that they are no longer in a position to harm the Jewish People. Deals with Hamas are not an acceptable response to their vitriolic and vicious intentions.
From a piece on this subject in Mosaic magazine, by a commentator who goes by the title Philologos:
“…Hamas is not just an enemy. It is an enemy that obeys no rules of war, that has no human restraints, that does not know the meaning of mercy, that sadistically delights in the spilling of blood for its own sake. One does not negotiate with such an enemy. One does not make peace with it. One does not make excuses for it because there is a context in which its behavior needs be understood. One extirpates it as best one can, and if innocent people are killed in the process, they too, tragically, owe their deaths to it…
“…Amalek does exist, not as a people that has survived until modern times but as the biblical concept of an extremity of savagery that cannot and must not be lived with. No, the Palestinians are not Amalek. Yes, Hamas is. And we shall not forget.” (Emphasis added)
https://mosaicmagazine.com/observation/israel-zionism/2023/11/what-invoking-amalek-means-today/
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And there is another message of enormous significance we draw from the Purim story: The message of the hidden face of the Almighty – who is not overtly visible in the story and performs no miracles we can identify clearly as such – but is there with us and works behind the scenes. The war we have been fighting is replete with such hidden miracles.
In the end, we are going to not only survive but thrive. Heaven is with us.
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At bottom, for all of the fears and pain and on-going angst and depression that most of Israel is coping with, it is clear that we as a people understand this. Consider:
Consistently, the birthrate in Israel has been the highest in the developed world. Israel is the only country in the OECD that is reproducing at above replacement rate. But an astonishing thing has happened: Since the beginning of the war, Israel’s birthrate has gone up.
According to a report from the Knesset Research and Information Center, “Following outbreak of war in 2023, many chose to expand their families despite the challenges, citing resilience and hope. Hospitals have reported overcrowded maternity wards, with data showing 7% rise in births in September 2024 compared to last year.”
The 7% rise reflects babies conceived after the war had already begun.
There was Shir Noy Feiner, for example, who was at home with two small children when her husband was called up for reserve duty, and yet she and her husband opted to have another baby. Said Feiner, “We believe Israel will get through this, and our children will know a life without war. That is our strength as a people — we have endured wars, loss and sorrow, yet we continue to build families.”
Here Shir and husband Hadar welcome their new daughter, Libi.
YNet
Rotem Sasson, whose husband was also called up for lengthy reserve service, chose to become pregnant during the war. She explained, “Strangely enough, during the war, we felt an even stronger urge to expand our family.”
Moran Bouzaglo and her husband, Shimi, welcomed their first child four months ago. She became pregnant several months after the war began. “It gave us some light and sanity in a dark time,” she explained. “It was terrifying, but we decided to go for it anyway. After October 7 took so many lives from us, bringing a life into the world felt like the right thing to do.”
Knesset Member Pnina Tamano-Shata (National Unity Party), who requested that this report be compiled, observed, “Despite the unimaginable hardship of the past year, we see how the people of Israel choose to grow from grief. The rise in births is proof of our inner strength and our ability to create new life even in the most difficult times.”
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b14tmbnijx
Jack Guez/AFP
Amazing. Who but the Jewish People, my friends?
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From this beginning, I had intended to segue into current news. But I have changed my mind. This message stands alone for Purim. After the holiday I will follow with a great deal of news.
This is a time of momentous shifts, with the possibility of a future that is bright and an Israel that is victorious and resilient.
But the shifts leave uncertainty and sometimes make one’s head spin. To reach that time of victory requires wisdom, strength, and perseverance. I do not for a moment intend to suggest that all will be smooth sailing; there is much to contend with moving forward. But I believe we will contend successfully.
Here I wish one and all a Purim Sameach – a joyous Purim.
National Today
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I ask for prayers for Israel’s wellbeing – for the wisdom and strength of our leaders and the safety of all Am Yisrael.
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©Arlene Kushner. This material is produced by independent journalist Arlene Kushner. Permission is granted for it to be reproduced only with proper attribution.
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