Between Gender and National Identity

The Book of Esther is traditionally read on the holiday of Purim. In synagogues, it often chanted to a special melody and read from a scroll—megillah is the Hebrew word for scroll—and even though there are other scrolls, Jews often refer to The Book of Esther as “The Megillah.” The Book of Esther is indeed a unique text in the canon of Jewish literature, opening its content to multiple interpretations. We have gathered here a collection of perspectives on this rich text, bringing together scholars, rabbis, artists, teachers, poets, and readers to shed light on The Book of Esther from a wide variety of disciplines and sources of knowledge.

The Megillah Project consists of more than 30 videos, each offering a unique perspective on Judaism and plagues and showcasing the variety of ways that Jews have thought the Book of Esther.

The Megillah Project collaboration between BINA: The Jewish Movement for Social Change, Judaism Unbound, 929 English, The Oshman Family JCC in Palo Alto, and jewishLIVE