Utah rabbi on lessons from Purim amid global conflict

SALT LAKE CITY — As war rages in the Middle East, Jews around the world are marking Purim, a holiday that commemorates how Queen Esther helped save the Jewish people in Persia — modern-day Iran — more than 2,000 years ago.

"I think the main part of the celebration of Purim is the unity that we need in these days," said Rabbi Moshe Nigri, director of Chabad on Campus at the University of Utah. "When so many people are against the Jewish people, it's very hard to stay strong."

Nigri said Purim celebrates the courage and faith that saved the Jews, a story that feels especially relevant today. Families observe the holiday by reading the Megillah (the scroll of Esther), sharing festive meals, wearing costumes and giving gifts to those in need.

"I have family and friends in Israel, and I asked them, 'How are you doing? How is the war?' And they told me, 'I'm already used to it, to being in bunkers and bomb shelters,'" Rabbi Nigri said. "That's not normality — the normality should be peace in the whole world."

The rabbi emphasized that the message of unity, faith and resilience extends to Jews and non-Jews alike.

Purim begins at sundown on March 2 and runs through March 3. Local celebrations are taking place across Utah, including one on Monday evening at the University of Utah.

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