LEAP OF FAITH: What would Esther do about opening up her home to refugees?

A stimulating new series where our progressive rabbis consider how biblical figures might act when faced with 21st Century issues

Have you ever had an Esther moment? When Mordecai found out what Haman was planning to do to the Jews, he informed Esther and asked her to appeal to the king and to plead for their people. But this was a perilous matter: should the king not extend the golden sceptre to allow a person in his presence in the court, the law said, he or she should be put to death.

But the situation was very pressing, and Esther decided to take the risk. Mordecai said to her: “If you keep silent in this crisis, relief and deliverance for the Jews may come from another quarter, but you and your family shall die. And who knows, maybe it is for a situation like this one that you have become a queen?” (Esther 4: 14). What is indeed the purpose of the story of Esther if it is not to talk about a courageous woman who stood up against a tyrannical power to save her people?

There are times in life when we can’t be too cautious, and we need to take risks. These moments are, dare I say, the very reason why we are here. We often wonder what our purpose in life is. Why are we here? What is the meaning of this apparent chaos and mess? And then, the universe sends a lesson to us: here are people unjustly thrown out of their houses and their countries, who are in desperate need of support and compassion. That is what I call an Esther moment. No time for too much reflection, no ifs or buts, just a compelling call to do something to alleviate human suffering. A war in a world of mega-communication and the omnipresence of images cannot remain hidden.

We see countless images of suffering from Ukraine, we hear and read heartbreaking stories, and we cannot remain idle. We’ve seen many people responding to the calls to help, whether financially, or more practically with specific items, and more recently, with the opening of the government scheme House for Ukraine, to host refugees fleeing the war zone. We have received many offers from British households to host refugees from Ukraine, and at Liberal Judaism we are working out a system to match both communities, so we can offer a sanctuary to those in need.

That is the Esther moment for our community and our country. We cannot remain silent anymore; we have to overcome the human tendency to selfishness and open our homes and hearts to other human beings. We have rediscovered the interconnectedness of all living creatures. May it be an Esther moment for all humankind.