History Improving Upon Itself
Israel’s government has restricted public activities over safety concerns prompted by the war with Iran. Therefore, Purim festivities in Israel this year are confined to bomb shelters and Zoom sessions.
This might look like a bummer, but I’m not dismayed. Our Purim observance is not as sumptuous as we’d like, but that doesn’t mean Purim itself has been downgraded. On the contrary, we are enacting Purim on the stage of actual history - we’re living it!
The death of Khamenei and his cronies is a replay of the death of wicked Haman and his followers (Esther 7:9–10; 9:5-10,15-16, 25). Persia then trembled with fear aroused by Jewish people’s pushback against a scheme to annihilate them (9:2-3); Iran today trembles from the effects of missiles and bombs targeting a genocidal regime’s killing machine.
Now, as before, other people’s preferences are aligning with our interests. The book of Esther describes how Persia’s king Achashverosh had Haman summarily executed. Further, the Jews of Persia received royal permission to attack the enemy; the understanding was that our people had the right to defend itself from anyone showing ill-intention toward or posing a threat to us (8:11).
Israel has taken the lead this time, Netanyahu making clear its “intentions,” America’s blessing upon them only implicit, Trump choosing to follow suit by joining in the operation.1 The parallels and contrasts apply not only to state dignitaries but to military potencies and general populations.
Thus, during the battle against Haman’s program of attempted genocide, many Persians - in awe and dread of Jews’ might, sided with us and became Jewish (8:17)! U.S. armed forces have joined with Israel in its preemptive strike that is reducing Iran’s regime to its knees. In the lead-up to this latest round of hostilities, a number of Iranians were expressing their hope that not just America but Israel would come to their aid.2
While divisions exist within Iran’s expatriate community, some of its members have demonstrated open admiration for and solidarity with the Jewish State.3 It was a Persian emperor, Cyrus, who authorized Jews return to our homeland after a period of exile; Israel, in doing what it can to liberate Iranians from the totalitarian mullahs’ thrall, is in a sense returning the favor.
History is not just repeating but improving upon itself. In Esther’s day Jews were a threatened minority subservient to the will of a foreign monarch. In our day, Jews are a strong majority living on our own soil.
Today we are not only carriers of tradition who celebrate a fabled victory over those who seek our destruction; we are keeping faith with our national memory through a renewed active commitment to survive in the face of repeated attempts - in this generation as generation after generation - of hate-filled maniacs to destroy us.
The story of Purim is alive and well here and now. Israel, with help from friends, is making it happen. I’m not upset about the fact that this current situation has interfered with our Purim celebration plans. Purim is a Jewish folk legend, but Israel is making the story real.
(An Israeli Air Force fighter jet flies over central Israel, February 28, 2026 (photo credit: NATI SHOHAT/FLASH90) / https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/mMHU62WTlXNk9ykeuL9p7Q--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTE2MDA7aD05MDA7Y2Y9d2VicA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/jerusalem_post_articles_818/57973adf8c115d8adb69c7590d659b9f)
https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-protests-crushed-iranian-tells-toi-many-still-hoping-for-us-israel-savior/