Purim 5786

A Purim that was experienced by all of us with contrasting emotions, just as the contrasting feelings we experience when reading Megillat Esther are: fear and trepidation for the ongoing conflict, for our relatives and friends in Israel, hope for a future of peace in the Middle East and, in particular, hope for a future of peace and security for Israel and a future of freedom and democracy for the Iranian people, whose fate appears closely tied to that of the Jewish people today as it was twenty-five centuries ago.
For our community, it was a joyful Purim, thanks to a very large turnout, especially on Monday evening (about 180 people attended, much more than expected given it was a weekday), and thanks to the many people who helped out at various times, from Monday evening’s aperitif to Tuesday’s banquet.
For the third year in a row, we also had a reading of the Megillah by women for women, with about forty women (including the eight female readers). This was also a remarkable turnout for a weekday morning: clearly, there are many women who enjoy participating in this unique moment of the year when women are the protagonists of a synagogue service. Just being able to sit at least once a year in the seats normally reserved for men and enjoy the comfort of the lectern was a small satisfaction. We hope that in the coming years, other women will share the pleasure of attempting to read the Megillah.
Special thanks to Shemuel Lampronti, who read the Megillah three times with his strong, clear voice; to Edoardo and Akiva Segre for the officiating services; and to the tireless and multifaceted Ruth Mussi, who, in less than 24 hours, was the evening’s organizer and host, emcee of the children’s costume parade, dancer, Megillah reader, and cook, whipping up one of her delicious cakes from scratch in a very short space of time.
The banquet (about fifty participants) was accompanied by a reflection by David Sorani, which balanced the history of Purim with current events, a testimony by Anna Levo, linked to current events and her professional experience, and the moving memory that Gabriella Fubini shared with those present of the Purim celebrations she experienced with her mother Rossella zl, and of her enthusiasm in preparing for the holiday (a passion I also remember well, first as a student and then as a colleague, in preparing for school plays).
Having spent Purim pleasantly, we can devote ourselves as pleasantly as possible to the preparations for Pesach, hoping that our hopes will soon prove more well-founded than our worries.