When Haman went to the Persian King Ahashverosh for permission to kill the Jews, he described them as a people “scattered and dispersed among the other peoples in all the provinces of your realm.” But when Esther made her plan to save the Jewish people, she said to Mordechai, “Go assemble all the Jews who live in Shushan.” Whether as a family or a school, a larger community or a people, we are stronger when we are united and working towards a common goal. Our children thrive when the values they learn at school and at home are the same, when parents and teachers are partners in each child’s growth and development. Our community is stronger when we support diverse opinions and we model respect and appreciation for differences, when we have patience and when we trust our leaders. Haman believed he could eliminate the Jewish people because he saw them as small anomalous pockets, weak because of size and inconformity. By calling on the Jewish people to come together and fast, and perhaps pray, Esther showed us the power we can exert with the sheer force of our unity. By coming together, we can save a nation. We can inspire our children; we can grow our school. Together we cannot be defeated.
Wishing everyone a happy, fun and safe Purim.
Debbie
