IF YOU KEEP SILENT : ESTHER ’ S STRENGTH IN CRISIS Darlene P . Campos
Purim , like many Jewish holidays , commemorates victory over evil , survival , and pride in one ’ s identity . One of the most common traditions is to wear a costume or a mask because as the story goes , the miracle of Purim was hidden , so hiding oneself is a nod to this aspect .
Hiding is not always a negative action . Children often play hide and seek . A spouse may hide a special gift to be given later . Just before a surprise party , the guests hide and then jump out on cue . But on other occasions , hiding is not beneficial , though it is sometimes understandable . People might conceal their identity out of fear of being mocked , persecuted , or suspected of an ulterior motive . Many years ago , for example , my grandfather swore to a local bank that he was eighteen , but he was actually fourteen . He did so because the bank had a job opening and his family was in a dire financial situation . My grandfather miraculously got the job , and his family was spared from starvation . Hiding one ’ s identity , especially during extreme circumstances , certainly appears reasonable . On the other hand , there are times when it is important to reveal ourselves , despite the possible outcomes .
I converted to Judaism about a year ago . Initially , I only told close friends about my new religious views because I was afraid of encountering potential antisemitism . In fact , my conversion class touched on how to address antisemitic confrontations . At some point , the rabbi said , it is going to happen and this is what you can do . One year before my conversion , I celebrated Purim with my congregation . As we talked about Esther and how she became a queen and her courage when she told the king who she really was , it was like someone poured freezing water on my head while I slept . From that point on , I decided to be open . I was finally going to
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