Purim, which began last night, celebrates the story of Esther, Queen of ancient Persia, who saved the Jews from annihilation at the hands of the King and his evil advisor Haman.
In these times, it seems we could use an Esther. But perhaps we need to be own Esther, by speaking up and not being afraid to proclaim ourselves proudly as Jews.
Because of the current rise in anti-Semitism, many Jews celebrated Chanukah last December in a very low-key manner, by not putting their lit Menorahs in their windows.
Of course, we must take precautions against anti-Semitic behavior. But we should not hide ourselves.
Despite what white supremacists might wish, we are a vital part of this great American society. To protect that, we must be visible and speak out against bias, whether directed at us or at other groups. We need to remember that we’ve been commanded to “tikkun olam,” to repair or heal the world. Prejudice and hatred is one of the world’s great ills, and we must stand up to it.