The Jewish holiday of Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from a massacre in ancient Persia, now known as Iran. The decree for the annihilation of Jews still echoes where Iranian despots vow to destroy Israel. The current hostile regime funds anti-Israel protests on American campuses and inches closer to nuclear weapons.
The venomous Haman, a high-ranking ancient Persia official in the fifth century BCE, plotted to exterminate the Jewish people. His hatred was ignited by the Jewish leader Mordechai’s refusal to bow down to him. Queen Vashti, the first wife of King Ahasuerus, was banished for her defiance of the king’s command to appear before his guests. This set the stage for Esther’s rise to become queen.
Mordechai, who raised Esther as his daughter and instructed her to hide her Jewish identity, urged her to expose Haman’s plot. Esther revealed Haman’s plot to the king, which led to Haman’s execution. The Jews were allowed to defend themselves against their enemies within the Persian empire. Esther courageously transformed the threat of annihilation into a triumph of survival. Every year, Jews recount this battle between darkness and courage in the biblical book of Esther—a testament to the enduring Jewish spirit.
From Middle East aggression to campus influence
The Iranian regime openly pursues Israel’s destruction directly and through its terrorist proxies. The tendrils of Iranian influence reach American campuses, where activists lead pro-Hamas rallies under the guise of Palestinian advocacy. While the protests are led by multiple groups, Iran has encouraged and funded some of them. Students routinely echo its calls to annihilate Israel. Students supporting Israel face intimidation, harassment and even violence—tactics reminiscent of Haman’s ancient poison.
Many students bravely spoke out against the rising tide of anti-Jewish hatred on campus. They are modern-day Mordechais, Esthers and non-Jewish supporters, refusing to be silenced in the face of antisemitism. Maximillian Meyer, 19, was assaulted by a student and targeted by a professor at Princeton University. He refused to be “intimidated into silence.” He organized Jewish students to stand up for themselves and show that the “Jewish community is strong.”
Some non-Jewish students at George Washington University also stood up to anti-Israel protesters. Sabrina Soffer described the attacks as “an American problem and not only a Jewish problem because they are not only chanting against the Jews, they’re chanting against American values.” Richard Li, who escaped religious persecution against Christians in China, said “oppression always starts with hatred of Jews.”
Universities continue to pose challenges to Zionist students this semester as graduation nears. The New York City Police Department arrested nine anti-Israel activists at Columbia-affiliated Barnard College. Protesters distributed pamphlets written by Hamas celebrating the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in southern Israel that led to the slaughter of 1,200 people and kidnapping of 215 others, comparing the NYPD and Israeli Defense Forces to the Ku Klux Klan.
Campus protest leaders at Columbia responded to university actions against protesters: “We can try a new tactic: organize resistance.” Resistance is often a euphemism for violence.
Recently, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights sent letters to 60 universities under investigation for the discrimination and harassment of Jewish students, warning them of potential actions if they fail to fulfill their obligations under the Civil Rights Act.
Along those lines, a growing number of positive developments are happening across the country. Julio Frenk, chancellor of the University of California, Los Angeles announced an initiative to fight Jew-hatred that will implement the university’s antisemitism and anti-Israel bias task force’s recommendations. These include enhancing education, improving the complaint system, and assuring enforcement of laws and policies. Barnard responded to the latest incident by launching new security measures, including restricting its campus to its students and removing face coverings in its library. A Princeton committee rejected a petition to support the antisemitic BDS movement against Israel.
The Anti-Defamation League’s recently released Campus Antisemitism Report Card 2025 showed that 45% of universities made significant policy changes to improve campus life for their students.
Weaponizing terror: Iran’s nuclear and proxy threat
The United Nation’s nuclear watchdog recently warned that Iran has enough uranium to produce six nuclear weapons. The uranium could be turned into even more suitcase nukes that could be used by many of its proxies bordering Israel. The Persian country’s network of proxies that it funds, arms and trains includes Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. Iran is also allied with China, Russia and Qatar.
U.S. President Donald Trump recently wrote to Iran’s supreme leader offering to discuss its nuclear-weapons program. Russia is offering to mediate. However, the Islamic Republic’s foreign minister rejected talks under Trump’s “maximum pressure” sanctions campaign. The American and Israeli air forces also held a joint drill seen as a signal to Iran. Israel’s prime minister thanked Trump for weapons that will help his country “finish the job” against Iran and its network.
Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorists fired thousands of rockets into Israel in 2023 and 2024 in support of Hamas. Israel struck back against Hezbollah fighters in Southern Lebanon and took out its longtime leader, Hassan Nasrallah. The Mossad’s pager and beeper operations rivaled the most creative spy novel stories. Hezbollah is responsible for hundreds of American deaths and new bipartisan legislation was introduced to combat Hezbollah’s operations in Latin America.
Modern Esthers in captivity: Defiance amid terror
The devasting atrocities committed by Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists on Oct. 7 were a stark reminder of the relentless pursuit of the Iranian axis of terror to destroy Israel. Trump recently hosted seven released Israeli hostages in an Oval Office meeting. Hamas still holds captive 59 hostages, 24 of them presumed to be alive. He stated that “we’ll get them out,” threatened Hamas and was “shocked” that not a single Hamas captor showed even an ounce of kindness toward the captives.
The hostages and their families are still living in severe distress. Hamas released a propaganda video of hostage Matan Angrest, 22—the first time his family saw him in 518 days: “We are shaken. He looks drained and desperate. There is evidence of severe psychological torture.”
Liri Albag, 20, described Gaza as “hell” following her release from captivity after 474 days. Liri: “I still haven’t been able to remove from myself the ‘filth’ … there was verbal violence, physical abuse, emotional abuse. They tried to tame us into their culture, where women can’t laugh out loud, can’t sit with legs crossed. They called Israeli Arabs ‘traitors.’ Our captors denied that the Holocaust happened. They think Hitler was a genius.”
Liri is a modern Queen Esther. Like many of the other hostages, she remained steadfast and helped others; Amit Soussanna credits Liri with saving her life. When Hamas terrorists paraded her on stage, she and three other young Israeli women defiantly stood proud as Jews.
Points to consider:
- Jews still stand proudly after thousands of years of hatred.
This enduring truth is a testament to Jewish resilience that resonates deeply during Purim. As we celebrate, we are reminded that the fight against hatred is a continuous struggle. It is a struggle that demands vigilance, courage and unwavering commitment. Just as the Jewish people persevered in the face of ancient threats, we will continue to persevere in the face of modern challenges. This Purim, let’s draw inspiration from the courage of Esther and the resilience of our ancestors, and rededicate ourselves to a vibrant Jewish community.
- Today’s Esthers echo ancient bravery.
The story of Purim celebrates a powerful woman who acted according to her conscience. Queen Esther heroically revealed her Jewish identity to save her people. Today, we see many brave Esthers proudly defending their Jewish identities. Students, professionals and politicians—both Jewish and non-Jewish—bravely speak out against hatred despite facing harassment, intimidation and violence. They refuse to be silenced and stand on principle, even when it means facing social ostracism or professional repercussions. These individuals embody the spirit of courage and conviction that defines Purim.
- Allies need to unite in the fight against hate.
Purim’s story demonstrates the power of people coming together in a time of need. The holiday serves as a reminder that everyone needs to voice their support against all forms of hatred. This is a shared threat to Americans and it requires a shared commitment to doing what is right. There are many forms of hate. It is important that everyone, from all backgrounds, speak out against prejudice. Purim teaches that when individuals stand united against wrongdoing, they can overcome challenges and protect communities.
- Purim is a Jewish celebration of strength and resilience.
Beyond the challenges, this annual holiday is a time for Jews worldwide to embrace their traditions, share their stories and strengthen their bonds. From festive gatherings to acts of charity, Purim reminds us that identity is a source of strength and pride. By celebrating our heritage, we honor the legacy of our ancestors and inspire future generations to carry forward the torch of Jewish tradition, ensuring that our vibrant culture continues to flourish.