Best Hanukkah Jokes for Your Purim Shpiel

 

It is never too late to exchange some Hanukkah jokes. With Purim just around the corner - and one month afterwards Pesach - that´s the perfect timing for getting ready for some warmhearted ´hahaha´. Not that ´hohoho´, obviously.

I don´t know too much about what kind of jokes - if ever - kids are laughing at - I bet there may be some memes involved anyway - but the jokes in this book do have the naive touch of the old times. So old that I may feel myself shamefully old for even remembering those times.

Making jokes and keeping the smile, no matter what, it is important for your health. What´s also funny is that you can make your good old Jewish jokes, and therefore, through laughing, one can also learn some good Jewish history and religious stories. Maybe it will be a bit difficult to explain them to the very young generation, but some funny drawings included in the book may be useful in just getting into the funny spirit.

It is never too late for a joke, even when Hanukkah is quite a couple of months away.

Rating: 3 stars 

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review but the opinions are, as usual, my own

The Story of Queen Vashti still waits to be told

You know that feeling when everyone is elated about something - in this case a book - and all the reviews in the publications that matter are enthusiastic and you are the only one who seems to not get the point. Not that your opinion will change the world, but still, you feel frustrated that it seems you´ve read something wrong or you misunderstood the book and you have no idea what you are talking about or what you are talked about.

Those are the kind of feelings during and after reading The Book of V. by Anna Solomon. I wanted from the bottom of my heart to find time to read this book, as it seemed to make a great point: making justice to Queen Vashti, the first wife of King Ahasverus in the book of Esther who was banished from the court after refusing to show herself naked in the front of the guests of the banquet, as per request of her husband. The midrashic sources - the Biblical exegesis - do have a variety of interpretations about Vashti. In any context, it is Queen Esther who is a winner, the hero and the savior. 

The Book of V. - V from Vashti - tells the stories of three women, at three different periods of time. Vee, the rich wife of a rising senator in the 1970s- which happens to be Jewish - who refused to show herself naked to a party, as per the request of her husband. Lily, from Brooklyn, a writer in waiting, Jewish, who is preparing for the festival of Purim - when the Book of Esther is read. And Queen Esther herself.

The stories of the two women intertwin, while the story of the Queen Esther serves as a background screen for their narratives. But I think the stakes were too high for the two women. Lily´s bland, the usual Lululemon confused NYC woman. Her mother, Ruth, who is dying during the story, a convert to Judaism, seems by far more interesting and with a good literary potential, but she is killed by the author way too fast. 

There is a very big risk took by an author when it plans to re-write such a complex story like the one displayed in the Book of Esther. You are either come with some outstanding new story, or not. A stay-at-home mom from Brooklyn is in any way out of this league. Trying to make everything sound cool and hip involves a high risk of failure. I suppose the story of Vashti still waits to be told. At least for me.

But justice to be done when it´s due: the writing is good and it compensates when the story is less good. 

I had access to the audio variant of the book.

Rating: 2.5 stars

My modest thoughts on Iran

Every time I have some small chunks of free time, I waste it reading news, many news, many many news.

In the last seven days, the chief media subject was Iran:to attack or not to attack, to sanction or not, to give them or not more fuel for the coming parliamentary non-democratic elections, how to survive the attack and whose help to rely upon (none, of course). 

You can hardly miss one day without a single set of minimum 5 news about Iran. Many are even asking more and more news, as they ignore the fact that free journalists are in prison in Iran and they are not allowed to report with the speed of CNN. 

Meanwhile, we enter tomorrow the jouyous month of Adar when we prepare to celebrate the victory of the Jews against the anti-Semitic plan of the Jew-hater Haman from the Persian Empire. We won thanks to the gracious beauty of the hidden Jewess Esther. Remember this: we WON.

Purim is here! Ready?

Times changed, by the enemies are still here.

Hope you will cook some tasty meals and will be ready for some extravagant cocktails.

Hag Purim Samech!

A freilichen Purim!

Related articles

• No Purim whisky for Yeshivah boys (thejc.com)
• Ayal has Monopoly on Purim costume (thejc.com)
• Why Purim is more than a story of us and them (thejc.com)

Hamantashen, anyone?

In only a couple of hours, everything should be ready!

Marais, Brooklyn or Tel Aviv, the preparations for Purim are entering the hasty stage.

Purim Katan - a reminder

During leap years on the Hebrew calendar, Purim is celebrated in the second month of Adar. The distinctions between the first and the second Purim in leap years are mentioned in the Mishnah.

The 14th of the first Adar is called Purim Katan ("Little Purim" in Hebrew) and the 15th is Shushan Purim Katan, for which there no set observances but have a minor holiday aspect to it. “There is no difference between the fourteenth of the first Adar and the fourteenth of the second Adar save in the matter of reading the Megillah, sending mishloach manot (reciprocal gifts of food), and gifts to the poor”. (Megillah, 6b).

There are not special halachic recommendations. The Halachah states that "some are of the opinion that Purim Katan should be celebrated with a festive meal, but it is not the custom to do so. Nonetheless, one should have a slightly festive meal” (Proverbs 15:15)

According to some interpretations, Purim Katan is an occasion of thinking and reflecting, while the Purim itself is an opportunity for action. In other words, 30 days in advance, we have the occasion to meditate and reflect to our values and acts.