Meir Shwartz of the Lev Yehudi (Jewish Heart) association says Tel Aviv will be saturated this year with public Book of Esther readings for people who "don't yet feel comfortable" entering a synagogue.

"The idea has suddenly mushroomed," Shwartz told Arutz-7.  "Just like on Yom Kippur over the past three years, when beginners' prayer services are organized in schools and community centers for those for whom a synagogue is somewhat foreboding, now it's happening on Purim as well."

The Purim holiday begins at sundown on the 14th of the month of Adar - the 15th in Jerusalem and other selected cities - with a festive public reading of the Book of Esther, sometimes known as the Megillah.  The reading recounts the momentous events that befell the sizeable Jewish community of the Persian Empire shortly after the destruction of the First Holy Temple, some 2,500 years ago.  The evil vizier Haman, of Amalekite stock, conspired to have the Jews totally wiped out - but his plans were overturned when King Ahasuerus finally realized that his heretofore trusted advisor had duped him into ordering the annihilation of his own Queen Esther's people. 

The sudden nature of the miraculous overturning of events render the Purim holiday and the Megillah reading a time of merry-making and costumes. Children and others wave graggers (noisemakers) and otherwise drown out the name of Haman whenever it is read aloud. 

Despite the fun, many unknowledgeable Jews have apparently felt intimidated by the atmosphere, and the Megillat Esther festivities remained off-limits for most of them - until now. 

Looking for Readers

Unofficial Megillah readings will take place in private homes, outdoor parks, yards between apartment buildings, "Bayit Yehudi" [Jewish Home] centers, and many other places, and interest has been very high.  "People are getting together through their places of work, neighborhoods, or in other ways," Shwartz said.  "In many places, all that's missing is a Baal Koreh [someone who can read aloud the un-voweled Megillah with the proper punctuation and musical intonations].  Those who wish to volunteer to read can phone me at 050-798613 and I will try to set them up."

Jewish Houses Opening Up All Over

Shwartz says that in the Tel Aviv area, interest in traditional Judaism continues to be high, especially in neighborhoods that are generally considered bastions of the "modern secular" crowd such as Sheinkin and Florentin.  "We have another Jewish House being built in southern Tel Aviv, to be headed by the very dynamic and special  Rabbi Eitan HaCohen. He does an amazing thing: Every Thursday morning at 11 AM, he gives a class in the weekly Torah portion in a cafe in Florentin - attended by lots of people you never would have dreamt would come. It's very remarkable.  And another Jewish Home is being put up in central TA, by Rosh Yehudi [Jewish Mindset]..."

Regarding other outreach activities, Shwartz said, "A whole group of young yeshiva families is moving from Kanei Shomron to Givatayim, and another group is moving from Beit El to Tel Aviv, and there are more."  Asked if this "soul/body drain" might be a source of concern to the already beleaguered Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria (Yesha), Shwartz said, "Not at all.  The religious-Zionist public, thank G-d, is a large community, and the towns in Yesha are strong." 

Rents are High

He admitted, however, that the cost of rent in Tel Aviv and environs is much higher than in Yesha: "This is a problem, and we have been in touch with our supporters about this..." 

From the outside, it appears that though high rents may be a problem, for now, it does not appear to be stopping Jews who wish to move to central Israel and reach out to their brothers from doing so.