Gayest of Jewish holidays combines Christmas and Halloween in
retelling the story of Queen Esther DAVID TAFFET | Staff Writer
The Jewish holiday Purim, which celebrates Queen Esther saving
the Jews in Persia, is a minor holiday, but it’s still many
people’s favorite. Purim is also the gayest of Jewish holidays.
Cantor Sherri Allen of Congregation Beth El in Arlington said
the holiday celebrates coming out. The holiday recounts the
spiel — or story — told in the biblical book of Esther: When
beautiful Queen Vashti refused to display her beauty to King
Achashverus’ guests, the king banished her and decided to find a
new queen. He ordered all the country’s hottest young women to
be presented to him so he could choose — sort of Cinderella
meets American Idol. He chose Esther as his new queen. Haman,
the king’s advisor, is the bad guy in the story. When Mordechai
refused to bow down to Haman and Haman found out that Mordechai
was Jewish, Haman convinced the king to kill all the Jews. The
name Purim means “lots.” T