Purim (Hebrew:  פּוּרִים (help·info) Pûrîm “lots“, from the word pur פור,^[3] related to Akkadian pūru) is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire where a plot had been formed to destroy them. The story is recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther (Megillat Ester מגילת אסתר in Hebrew).

According to the Book of Esther, Haman, royal vizier to King Ahasuerus (presumed to be Xerxes I of Persia^[4][5][6]), planned to kill all the Jews in the empire, but his plans were foiled by Mordecai and his adopted daughter Esther who had risen to become Queen of Persia. The day of deliverance became a day of feasting and rejoicing.

Based on the conclusions of the Scroll of Esther (Esther 9:22): “[…] that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor” Purim is therefore celebrated by:

1. Exchanging reciprocal gifts of food and drink known as mishloach manot.
2. Donating charity to the poor known as mattanot la-evyonim.^[7]
3. Eating a celebratory meal known as a se’udat Purim’.
4. Public recitation, usually in synagogue, of the Scroll of Esther known as kriat ha-megillah.
5. Reciting additions to the daily prayers and the grace after meals known as Al HaNissim.
6. Other customs include drinking wine, wearing of masks and costumes, and public celebration.^[8]

Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar (and on Adar II in Hebrew leap years that take place every 2 to 3 years), the day following the victory of the Jews over their enemies. In cities that were protected by a surrounding wall at the time of the Biblical Joshua, Purim is instead celebrated on the 15th of the month of Adar on what is known as Shushan Purim, since fighting in the walled city of Shushan continued through the 14th day of Adar.^[9] Today, only Jerusalem celebrates Purim on the 15th of Adar.

Purim (Hebrew:  פּוּרִים (help·info) Pûrîm “lots“, from the word pur פור,^[3] related to Akkadian pūru) is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire where a plot had been formed to destroy them. The story is recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther (Megillat Ester מגילת אסתר in Hebrew).

According to the Book of Esther, Haman, royal vizier to King Ahasuerus (presumed to be Xerxes I of Persia^[4][5][6]), planned to kill all the Jews in the empire, but his plans were foiled by Mordecai and his adopted daughter Esther who had risen to become Queen of Persia. The day of deliverance became a day of feasting and rejoicing.

Based on the conclusions of the Scroll of Esther (Esther 9:22): “[…] that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, and of sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor” Purim is therefore celebrated by:

1. Exchanging reciprocal gifts of food and drink known as mishloach manot.
2. Donating charity to the poor known as mattanot la-evyonim.^[7]
3. Eating a celebratory meal known as a se’udat Purim’.
4. Public recitation, usually in synagogue, of the Scroll of Esther known as kriat ha-megillah.
5. Reciting additions to the daily prayers and the grace after meals known as Al HaNissim.
6. Other customs include drinking wine, wearing of masks and costumes, and public celebration.^[8]

Purim is celebrated annually according to the Hebrew calendar on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar (and on Adar II in Hebrew leap years that take place every 2 to 3 years), the day following the victory of the Jews over their enemies. In cities that were protected by a surrounding wall at the time of the Biblical Joshua, Purim is instead celebrated on the 15th of the month of Adar on what is known as Shushan Purim, since fighting in the walled city of Shushan continued through the 14th day of Adar.^[9] Today, only Jerusalem celebrates Purim on the 15th of Adar.

Thomas Keneally, celebrated author of Schindler’s Ark (also published as Schindler’s List) will be visiting Wellington as a guest of the NZ Festival for Writers Week. He will be giving a talk at the Embassy Theatre about his work.

Born in Sydney, Keneally was educated at St Patrick’s College, Strathfield. Subsequently, a writing prize there has been named after him. He entered St Patrick’s Seminary, Manly to train as a Catholic priest. Although he was ordained as a deacon while at the seminary he left without being ordained to the priesthood. He worked as a Sydney schoolteacher before his success as a novelist and was a lecturer at the University of New England (1968–70). He has also written screenplays, memoirs and non-fiction books.

Keneally was known as “Mick” until 1964 but began using the name Thomas when he started publishing, after advice from his publisher to use what was really his first name.^[1] He is most famous for his Schindler’s Ark (1982) (later republished as Schindler’s List), which won the Booker Prize and is the basis of the film Schindler’s List. Many of his novels are reworkings of historical material, although modern in their psychology and style.

Keneally has also acted in a handful of films. He had a small role in The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (based on his novel) and played Father Marshall in the award-winning Fred Schepisi film The Devil’s Playground (1976).

In 1983 he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).^[2] He is an Australian Living Treasure.

Keneally was a visiting professor at the University of California, Irvine(UCI) where he taught the graduate fiction workshop for one quarter in 1985. From 1991 to 1995, he was a visiting professor in the writing program at UCI.^[3]

He is a strong advocate of an Australian republic, meaning the abolition of the Australian monarchy, and published a book on the subject Our Republic in 1993. Several of his Republican essays appear on the web site of the Australian Republican Movement.

Keneally is a keen supporter of rugby league football,^[4] in particular the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles club of the NRL. in 2004 he gave the sixth annual Tom Brock Lecture.^[5] He made an appearance in the 2007 rugby league drama film The Final Winter.^[6]

In March 2009, the Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, gave an autographed copy of Keneally’s biography Lincoln to President Barack Obama as a state gift.^[7]

Most recently^[when?] Keneally featured as a writer in the critically acclaimed Australian drama Our Sunburnt Country.

Keneally’s nephew Ben is married to the former Premier of New South Wales, Kristina Keneally who is now the CEO of Basketball Australia.

The Tom Keneally Centre opened in August 2011 at the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts, housing Keneally’s books and memorabilia. The site is used for book launches, readings and writing classes.^[8]

Ticket prices range from $28 to $33.
Website: http://festival.co.nz/tom-keneally/
Date: 12 March 2014, Time: 6.15pm
Venue: Embassy Theatre, Wellington
Ticket Information: http://tinyurl.com/lfsw9ob

We’re holding a sausage sizzle at Shirley Bunnings on Marshland Road.

Each sausage sizzle has been a wonderful opportunity to meet the public, raise awareness of Israel, the Middle East and Jewish culture.

The funds will go toward furthering Holocaust Education and fighting racial intolerance.

If you can help out for a morning or afternoon, then feel free to email Rebecca Marchand, our Secretary, on rebecca.marchand@nzfoi.org or call her on (021) 0224 2515.

We’re holding a sausage sizzle at Shirley Bunnings on Marshland Road.

Each sausage sizzle has been a wonderful opportunity to meet the public, raise awareness of Israel, the Middle East and Jewish culture.

The funds will go toward furthering Holocaust Education and fighting racial intolerance.

If you can help out for a morning or afternoon, then feel free to email Rebecca Marchand, our Secretary, on rebecca.marchand@nzfoi.org or call her on (021) 0224 2515.

We are having another sausage sizzle at Shirley Bunnings on Marshland Road.

Each sausage sizzle has been a wonderful opportunity to meet the public, raise awareness of Israel, the Middle East and Jewish culture.

The funds will go toward furthering Holocaust Education and fighting racial intolerance.

If you can help out for a morning or afternoon, then feel free to email us on contact@nzfoi.org or call (027) 433 9745

We are having another sausage sizzle at Shirley Bunnings on Marshland Road.

Each sausage sizzle has been a wonderful opportunity to meet the public, raise awareness of Israel, the Middle East and Jewish culture.

The funds will go toward furthering Holocaust Education and fighting prejudice.

Either way, if you have a moment, drop in and make yourself known.  We always appreciate a friendly face.

If you can help out for a morning or afternoon, then feel free to email us on contact@nzfoi.org or call (027) 433 9745