Esther in America Videos Esther in America Edited by Stuart W. Halpern Featuring contributions by Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, Erica Brown, Dara Horn, Liel Leibovitz, Tevi Troy and more Available on and wherever Jewish books are sold Artificial Intelligence Biotechnology Computer Science Cybersecurity Data Analytics and Visualization Digital Marketing and Media Mathematics Occupational Therapy Physician Assistant Physics Speech-Language Pathology Lincoln & Esther: A Study in Statesmanship The Straus Center presents "Lincoln & Esther: A Study in Statesmanship," a video essay based on Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik’s chapter in Esther in America. Not seeing the video below? Haman in the American Revolution The Straus Center presents "Haman in the American Revolution," a video essay based on Dr. Eran Shalev’s chapter in Esther in America. Not seeing the video below? From the Palace of Shushan to Uncle Tom's Cabin The Straus Center presents "From the Palace of Shushan to Uncle Tom's Cabin," a video essay based on Dr. Ariel Clark Silver's chapter in Esther in America. Not seeing the video below? The Esther Chronicles and Shakespeare's Henry VIII Dr. Shaina Trapedo | Straus Center Resident Scholar The biblical story of Esther, Jewish orphan turned Persian queen, permeated Renaissance material culture from poetry to paintings to tapestries. Esther’s position as both foreigner and sovereign—and her eponymous text's focus on performed identity, the relationships between hospitality and politics, and the importance of chronicling history—finds favor in Shakespeare’s eyes when he writes Henry VIII (1613) in collaboration with John Fletcher. Through verbal echoes and narrative parallels, Shakespeare seasons his portrayal of Henry's court and queen consorts with the Esther paradigm and uses the Megillah as a touchstone for examining the standards of political conduct ascribed to a country that hosts a racially and religiously diverse population. Not seeing the video below? A Letter in a Scroll: Sacred Text and the Esther Exception Rabbi Dr. Dov Lerner | Straus Center Clinical Assistant Professor While Greeks privilege speech, Jews invest text with a sense of excellence, and yet the presentation of Esther on Purim seems to be an exception. Why is this the case? We will explore a Socratic dialogue and a prophetic analog in search of an answer. Not seeing the video below? Mikdash and Memory Mikdash and Memory
