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By Benji, Content ManagerLEIBISH, Fancy Color Diamonds, is celebrating the Jewish holiday of PURIM during the BASELWORLD 2012 World Watch and Jewellery Show.
Please celebrate together with us and come enjoy the ritual Humentashen cookies at our booth, located in Hall 3.1, Booth E60.
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Hamentashen cookies, that we baked fresh for the show, will be served in celebration of the Jewish Holiday, PURIM! |
The story of Purim begins 50 years after the destruction of the second temple by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar, when Babylonia was defeated by Persia. The second king of Persia, Achashverosh (pronounced: Ah-chash-VEY-rosh)had ruled 127 provinces from Hodu (India) to Kush (Africa). His land, a the time, was the largest and strongest kingdom in the world.
When the capital city, Shushan, was announced, the king held a large banquet for all the people in his kingdom that lasted 180 days. The king demanded that his wife, Vashti, model her crown and dance for all the people in his land. Only, Vashti, the proud granddaughter of the cruel Nebuchadnezzar, refused to appear as told. "Am I a servant to the king?" she asked. The king immediately executed her for her disobedience, by not obeying his command.
Achashverosh selected the great Esther as his new queen, for her beauty and kind temperament were suiting to the position. Under the advice of her uncle, Mordechai, Esther kept her Jewish identity a secret from the king.
One day Mordechai overheard a plot to kill the king and immediately sent word to his niece, Esther. The message was well taken and the two plotters were hung for transgressing against the king.
Years later, a ruthless man by the name of Haman was promoted as the king’s top advisor. Haman, an extremely conceded individual, demanded that every man bow in his presence. Mordechai refused to bow down to Haman since according to Jewish faith, he was forbidden to bow down to anyone other than his God. The evil Haman was so angered that he decided that as a punishment he would annihilate the entire Jewish nation. In order to publically determine the date he would carry out his decree to destroy the Jewish nation, Haman casted lots of 'PURIM.'
News of the evil decree spread throughout the kingdom, and the Jews were greatly distressed. Mordecai asked of his niece Esther to plead with the king in an attempt to save the lives of her people. Esther was very worried about approaching the king even with such an important message; for anyone who approached the king unannounced risked losing their life.
As such a persuasive, and amazingly stunning queen, Esther managed to convince her husband, King Achashverosh, to grant her wishes. She told him about the evil plot against her people and begged him to put a stop to it. The king granted her wish and ordered that the evil Haman be hanged for baselessly ordering such a heavy decree on the Jewish nation. The day the decree was to take place became a day of celebration as it was the day the Jews were saved.
The evil Haman supposedly wore a three-cornered hat. As part of the festivities, along with giving large sums of charity, listening to the story read aloud, rejoicing over a festive meal, and giving out food baskets to our friends and neighbors, the Jewish people have become accustom to eating cookies shaped like the hat of Haman.
These cookies, otherwise known as Hamentashen, will be served among the Jewish people all over the world on Thursday 18, 2012. Please come and join in our celebration and taste one of these festive dishes!
Happy Holidays!
LEIBISH Fancy Color Diamonds
