Why wartime Canada did not mark a "timid" Purim during WW2
Ahead of the Jewish festival of Purim, which begins on Thursday February 25 this year, some might feel that dressing up in costumes, holding carnivals, merry making and sending baskets of goodies to loved ones, doesn't really seem appropriate for our current pandemic situation.
It is helpful, therefore, to take this look back at how Canadians handled a similar dilemma during the Second World War.
Purim, the Feast of Lots, recalls the salvation of the Jewish people living in Persia in the 5th century B.C.E. from a government decree of annihilation.
In 1942, the Ottawa Jewish Bulletin urged its readers not to hold "a timid Purim". That message meant a lot to Canadians during wartime, both on the home front, and on the front lines. It's a message that can help us today, under COVID-19. Be the first to read the article here.

Photo by Brian Nelson, Unsplash.
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