Purim: A Holiday of Hidden Miracles for Vance's Jewish Community

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Jonathan Goldstein
  • 71st Operations Support Squadron
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Every year, around this time, Jews the world over read the Book of Esther from a hand-written scroll, accompanied by a festive meal, costumes, and a spirit of unity and fellowship.

At the 71st Operations Support Squadron on Monday, March 9, twenty-five people gathered for the local Purim festival. The group included Enid residents, officers at Vance, and even visitors from Dallas, Texas, and Wellington, Kan.

Purim, a minor Jewish holiday, celebrates the hidden miracles performed when the Jews were spared extermination by the Persian Empire during the Babylonian exile. Ahasuerus, the King of Persia at the time, had an anti-Semitic viceroy named Haman, who cast a lottery to decide the date on which the Jews were to be exterminated.

Esther, the Queen of Persia, concealed her Jewish identity until she had won the favor of her husband, King Ahasuerus. She then exposed Haman's plan as a scheme not only against the Jewish people, but against her as well. Ahasuerus, overcome with love for his wife, reversed the decree and sentenced Haman to death, with the assistance of Mordechai, Esther's uncle and a palace official.

All of these events were recorded in the Book of Esther, and it is the only book in the Bible that does not contain the name of G-d. The story also took place without obvious miracles. Therefore, Jews celebrate Purim in costume, so as not to reveal themselves to others at first glance.

Here at Vance, Rabbi Samuel Fried came from Wellington, Kan. to read the Book of Esther in its original Hebrew for the attendees. Following the reading, everyone enjoyed a delicious buffet.

The evening ended with a trivia contest, won by the team comprised of 1st Lt. Michael Lebovitz, his wife Dani, 2nd Lt. Marc Goodman, and 2nd Lt. Scott Willis. A costume contest followed afterwards, which the Estes family won.

Driving all the way from Dallas, the Goldstein and Degani families brought special holiday cookies and food for all the attendees.