While most of the world is preparing to get drunk over Easter, those of us who were actually responsible for the festival are going to be getting drunk for a very different reason. Purim is, to me, exactly what I love about Judaism. We get to read a nonsensical story about a stupid, drunkard king and his Gargamelesque viceroy, both of whom get outsmarted by a silly, dithering queen and her irritating cousin. And then, to clinch the matter, the “victims” of the narrative run around murdering all the people by whom they feel threatened, and we all head off to the bar to consume enough drinks that the story makes sense. I am not a fan of organised religion, but this is disorganised religion at its absolute finest.
Echoes from the Ether: