In the Purim story as told in the Book of Esther, Vashti was ordered to show off her beauty to the king and his drunken pals (meaning, apparently, that she would be naked). She refused. The king’s ...

Purim, which commemorates the Jewish people’s deliverance from near destruction in ancient Persia, is celebrated from sundown Feb. 25 to sundown on the 26th. It’s a joyous holiday celebrated with ...

The rabbi (left) and her friend Liz, both dressed as Queen Esther, as little girls. In the black and white photograph, two little girls in long dresses and shiny crowns sit at a preschool table. The ...

Queens Vashti and Esther are not polar opposites but opposite sides of the same coin, says a New York City writer and journalist. (JTA) — Purim is often filled with boisterous celebrations, drinking ...

Purim is one of the more obscure Jewish holidays. It commemorates the deliverance of the Jews from a genocidal plot, as recorded in the Book of Esther (known in Hebrew as the Megillah). The Megillah ...

For children, the Book of Esther is a fairy tale — of kings, queens, beauty contests and the foiled plans of a dastardly villain. The story can be read as proto-feminist, with Esther saving her people ...

Who needs Halloween or Mardi Gras? On Purim, the masquerade of characters is lively and intriguing: Spangled Vashtis, bearded Mordecais, snarling Hamans, bejeweled Esthers, silk-robed Ahasueruses. The ...

How do I love Vashti? Let me count the ways. In case you aren’t familiar with this woman of the Bible, Vashti makes only a brief appearance at the beginning of the Book of Esther, in which we read the ...

(RNS) — It’s sad to see a carefully preserved Jewish historical tradition sacrificed on the altar of a contemporary ism. On Purim, observant Jewish men, to varying degrees, imbibe strong drink. And ...

“Vashti’s the only one in the Purim story who should be congratulated,” my son Danny, 12, says. You may recall that King Ahasuerus, who had been sumptuously drinking and feasting with his Shushan ...

Two strong women — Vashti and Esther — take center stage in the Jewish holiday of Purim. Their story is recounted as part of the celebration, when the Book of Esther, or “Megillah,” is read. Queen ...

Intrigue, deception, executions, aliases, decrees, war, royalty, villains and heroes. This is not the newest Netflix special. It's the centuries-old story of Purim. And it is a story that still ...