Once again, our shul will celebrate the holiday of Purim with the reading of the Book of Esther (the Megillah). As always, shul members are invited to come in costume and to make joyful noises with boos and graggers at every mention of Haman’s name as the story unfolds. But here’s a change: In order to accommodate Rabbi Gadi’s annual visit to Israel, our celebration will be held on Friday, March 13, three days after the official holiday on March 10. The celebration will be combined with our traditional Friday evening Shabbat observance, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Surely, most of us know the story of Purim, how Queen Esther saved the Jewish people from execution by the evil Haman, who was preparing to kill the Jews for not bowing to him. Surely, as well, all of us have feasted on hamantaschen, the traditional pastry for the holiday, a tri-cornered fruit-filled confection shaped to resemble Haman’s hat — deliciously evil. Instead of revisiting these familiar themes, The Shofar will offer a related and compelling anecdote.

Recently, The Shofar learned of an occurrence, which serves, we think, as an incredible sequel to the Biblical story. The incident took place during the Nuremburg Trial in 1946, when military and political leaders of the Nazi party were brought to account for the part each one played in crimes against humanity during the Holocaust. As Julius Streicher, one of the convicted Nazis, was led to the gallows in Oct. 16, 1946, he inexplicably shouted out, “Purimfest.” According to historians, Streicher himself made the connection between what was happening to him, an arch-enemy of the Jewish people about to be hanged, and what had happened to Haman a long time ago.

In the Purim story, the Book of Esther ends with the hanging of Haman and his 10 sons. The trial at Nuremburg came to a close with 10 leaders condemned to pay for their crimes by hanging. It might be said that although God is not mentioned in the Book of Esther, his presence there manifested itself all those centuries later.