Blogs > HAPPY PURIM (HALLOWEEN?)

Mar 21, 2008

HAPPY PURIM (HALLOWEEN?)



McCain said:

"Nine hundred rocket attacks in less than three months, an average of one every one to two hours. Obviously this puts an enormous and hard to understand strain on the people here, especially the children. As they celebrate their version of Halloween here, they are somewhere close to a 15-second warning, which is the amount of time they have from the time the rocket is launched to get to safety. That's not a way for people to live obviously."

Gaff? The origins of the two holidays are different. But got the reality right. In any case, it is one holiday in which one is supposed to get so drunk that he/she no longer knows the difference between"blessed be Mordechai (the hero) and" cursed be Haman" (the villain). By conflating Purim with Halloween, Liberman instructed McCain was merely keeping with tradition.

After all, as Purim makes so clear, that "old-new land" has the"old-new enemies." Then, it was Haman,the Persian chief minister, who wanted to kill all the Jews. Today, it is Iranian president, Ahmadinejad. Just see who gets the pie in the face in this holiday rap. Or, better yet, listen to Sharon Huckel's lovely rendition of For Such a Time as This

Haman built a gallows
Mordecai, he would not bow
Haman built a gallows
Mordecai is going down

For such a time as this
such a time as this
For such a time as this...
Lord move these lips

Send out the word in Susa
Send out this decree
Lookout! Jews of Persia
Haman’s planned a killing spree

For such a time as this . . . .

Send out the word in Susa
Esther made a plea
All ye Jews of Persia
Pray and fast three days with me

For such a time as this . . . .

When the tables turn…
which side will you be on?
When the tables turn…
which side, friend, will you be on?

In such a time as this, Lord loose our lips!
In such a time as this… Lord loose our lips!
Lord loose our lips... In such a time as this!

Haman built a gallows… now he’s coming… down

Are the holiday celebration different? You decide:

Chag Sameach (Happy holiday) one and all.



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