Kiddush Talk: Facing the Megillah with Judith Kates (in person)

For many years at TBZ, we have gathered before Purim to learn and prepare for the Megillah, honoring it as a complex and layered text, one that invites feminist readings and challenges us to reflect on the movement from victimhood to power. This shared learning has become a cherished tradition, allowing us to engage deeply with the text before the holiday itself, when our focus turns more fully toward joy and celebration. Judith will lead us in a exploration entitled, “Doing Better the Second Time” where we will explore the gender issues as well as interconnections, both narrative and linguistic, with other Biblical texts such as the Joseph story and the story of Saul, both ancestors of Esther and Mordechai.