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BACKGROUND NOTES & OTHER NEAT INFO.
WHAT'S THE BOOK OF ESTHER ABOUT?
Canadian writer and former moderator of the United Church of Canada, Lois Wilson, provides an excellent synopsis of this story
in her book, Miriam, Mary and Me. She writes:
"In the tale told in the book of Esther, we meet Esther, a beautiful orphan and Mordecai, her older cousin. Their acts of
courage, faithfulness, and creativity deliver the Jewish people from destruction during the reign of Ahasuerus, the Persian
king (485 - 464 BCE). Most commentators regard the book as a fictional story. It combines irony, suspense, and drama in order
to explain the origin of the Jewish festival Purim ("lots"). Jewish children celebrate it as one of their favourite holidays.
Some girls dress up as Esther. They put on long flowing gowns, sparkling crowns, and feel brave and loyal at the thought that
they might risk their lives to save their people...
"How to tell this story to children?... the story still hinges on Esther's initiative... In a position to influence historical
events, she engaged in civil disobedience, risked her life, and delivered her people from annihilation. She could have turned
her back on it all. Esther also teaches us how to use communal prayer and fasting as a form of preparation for solidarity.
After the whole community fasts for three days Esther is prepared to approach the king on their behalf."
MAP OF PERSIAN DIASPORA.
This story takes place in ancient Persia. Footnotes to the NOAB/NRSV note that the city of Susa was Persian King Ahasuerus's
"winter capital in northwestern Iran, 400 km east of ancient Babylon.The citadel or acropolis was a fortified section of
the palace." For a neat map, click here.
OTHER NEAT FACTOIDS.
There are all kind of neat notes about root words for names, etc. in the Introductory Notes and Footnotes to the Book of Esther
in the New Oxford Annotated Bible (New Revised Standard Version). I'm just going to run with ones I like here in bullet form.
Unless otherwise indicated, notes below are from the Third Edition of the volume cited above (New York: Oxford University
Press, 2001).
- The book of Esther tells the story of how two wise and courageous Jews, Mordecai and Esther, aided by the providential hand
of fate, foil the genocidal schemes of Haman, the "enemy" of the Jews.
- The ensuring victory celebration on the 14th and 15th of the month of Adar (February-March) becomes the occasion for inaugurating
a new Jewish festival, Purim.
- The seemingly historical presentation also serves to legitimate the festival of Purim, which was probably a Babylonian or
Persian holiday adopted by Diaspora Jews, and which was not authorized by the law of Moses.
- The version of Esther found in the Hebrew Bible was probably composed in the early Hellenistic period (late 4th - 3rd century
BCE) before Jewish antagonism toward Gentiles was exacerbated by the struggles of the Maccabean period (167-135 BCE).
- No other book of the Hebrew Bible has received such mixed reviews from Jews and Christians alike... The Persian king, for
instance, is mentioned 190 times, but the God of Israel not once...
- Jews and Christians have also been deeply troubled by the story's uncritically enthusiastic account of the violence of the
Jewish community's response to their enemies...
1.1: Ahasuerus's feast. Greek writers mention the fabulous feasts given by Persian kings. The banquet with is exaggerated
length of 180 days is the 1st of several banquets at key points.
1.22. King sends letters. The Persian postal system was renowned.
2. 7. Esther's name. In Hebrew is 'Hadassah,' meaning 'myrtle,' [a fragrant plant]. Her Gentile name, Esther, derives from
Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of love and war, or from the Persian word for 'star,' or both.
AWESOME ART.
Lots of great images on the web. Here are a couple I really liked:
- Esther Made Queen
- Esther accusing Haman.
By all means scroll thru the art on this page on textweek.com to find one that hits home for you!
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
- Can you name another story where an 'ordinary' person saves the day?
- Do you think you yourself would be up to such a challenge?
- How does Esther prepare herself for her little chat with the king?
- How would you prepare yourself?
- There are lots of letters and messages in this story. What kinds of communication might be used today by Esther, Mordecai,
the king and Haman?
- How important do you think accurate communication is to people's health, well-being and freedom?
...........................
WORKSHOPS
KITCHEN
ACTIVITY: MAKE PARTY PLATTERS OF CUT VEGETABLES AND DIP. WILL EMPHASIZE THE CELEBRATING AND FEASTING ELEMENT OF THIS STORY.
VEG IDEAS FOR PLATTER:
- carrots, celery, broccoli, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes...
INGREDIENTS FOR EASY HUMMUS:
* 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans [or chick peas], drained, liquid reserved
* 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
* salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook and stir the garlic in olive oil for approximately 3 minutes, until tender.
2. Place beans in a blender or food processor with approximately 1 teaspoon reserved liquid. Process until smooth. Mix
in the garlic, sesame seeds, salt and pepper. Blend to desired consistency, increasing the amount of reserved garbanzo bean
liquid as desired. Chill in the refrigerator until serving.
* Little kids can arrange separate veg + dip on their indiv platter and set out at coffee time.
** Big kids can chop veg and make dip.
REAL TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
Ready. Quickly review or recap the story with them before starting activity.
Set. Link or explain your activity to the current story.
Go. Party on!
PUPPET WORKSHOP
ACTIVITY: DRESS ASSORTED HAND PUPPETS (CAN BE HUMANOID OR ANIMAL) IN CHARACTER COSTUMES AND SHOOT PICTURES FROM SHOT LIST
BELOW.
MATERIALS: lots of hand puppets, fancy cloth bits (to make ponchos that around puppet with cord), black cloth for capes for
evil people, assorted small crowns, scissors. tape, markers, papers for quick props and backdrops.
SHOT LIST OF SCENES FOR ALBUM:
1. Soldiers visit Esther and Mordecai to take E to king's palace.
2. Shot of king's palace with lots of opulently dressed chars, male and female.
3. M warns E not to tell anyone she's Jewish. (could be shown thru puppets holding small recipe cards with printed words on
them, like here: IT'S A SECRET.)
4. E with King, who has card saying, SHE'S THE ONE.
5. Haman (KNEEL); M (NO).
6. Haman whispers in king's ear.
7. M outside castle crying (BOO HOO)
8. M hands off note saying ; DO SOMETHING.
9. E sends message to M : TOO DANGEROUS.
10. M sends new note: SAVE OUR PEOPLE.
11. E sends note: PRAY FOR ME.
12. E gets extra dressed up in royal robes
13. Stands outside king's window at palace
14. K holds out gold scepter to say, okay she can come in.
15. E, K and H at big banquet table.
16. E points at H
17. Soldiers haul H off to jail.
18. Last shot: Now E, K, H and lots of others are at the banquet.
**SEVEN SHORT SCENES FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN
1. Set up 4 main characters with oversize name tags: Esther, King, Mordecai and Haman.
2. Esther marries King. Dress puppets in crowns and capes. Could have wedding cake prop.
3. Haman tells King to be mean to Esther’s people (make mean but silly suggestion like, SEND THEM TO BED WITHOUT ANY
SUPPER). This could be written on small card for puppets to hold.
4. Mordecai tells Esther to DO SOMETHING.
5. Esther says a prayer
6. Esther asks King to CHANGE YOUR MIND.
7. Haman behind bars, other puppets in scene with balloons to show celebration.**
IN REAL TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
1. Quickly review or recap the story with them before starting activity. Each week, see how much more detail each group of
kids can supply on the story they've been studying.
2. Link or explain your activity to the current story.
3. Shoot!
ARTS WORKSHOP
ACTIVITY:MAKE PAINTED TILES OF PART OF KEY VERSE IN OVERVIEW: 'IF YOU KEEP SILENCE AT SUCH A TIME AS THIS...'
MATERIALS:
- unpainted tiles from Home Depot.
- tile paints and brushes
- aprons or smocks
- old newspapers
- paper towelling
IN REAL TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
1. Quickly review or recap the story with them before starting activity. Each week, see how much more detail each group of
kids can supply on the story they've been studying.
2. Link or explain your activity to the current story.
3. Imprint!
COMPUTER WORKSHOP
ACTIVITY: CREATE A SERIES OF 3 OR 4 WEBLOG ENTRIES FROM POINT OF ONE CHARACTER IN THIS STORY.
EXPLANATORY NOTE:
During the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, many observers of the scene turned for 'real' insider information to the postings
of a blogger based in Iraq called Salam Pax.
Pax, an architect, used the communication medium that came easiest to hand to him -- an Internet diary or web log. And it
caught the world's attention. 20 000 regular readers logged on to his site during the conflict.
Might a web log have been something Esther or Mordecai might have used to get their message out? Would the king maintain a
palace website? Would Haman use a website, among other media, to control the spin of his own hate campaign? All valid questions.
To read more on the interesting phenomenon of Baghdad Blogger Salam Pax, click here for a UK Guardian report from May 2003.
IN REAL TIME WITH THE CHILDREN
1. Quickly review or recap the story with them before starting activity. Each week, see how much more detail each group of
kids can supply on the story they've been studying.
2. Link or explain your activity to the current story.
3. Blog on!
**Sunday Software has a nice treatment of this story on its Awesome Bible Stories CD. I liked the live video clip of kids
in costume during Purim. I like the story and the trivia bites between scenes. There's a game and an Esther quiz.
Because Esther is such a long story, I think the little guys in my multiage class would wander off and play on riding toys
while the story runs. It would be good to see how the Play and Learn for preschoolers, as listed in the Sunday Software catalogue
handles the narration.
Also I think the game and quiz are too advanced for them. If you could find or scan in a colouring page of an Esther character,
you could create an online puzzle for them.
They could draw a picture of one of the main character in KidPix, output and cut into pieces to make their own puzzle.
To go with out blog/diary idea, preschoolers could draw one of more characters in KidPix of Child's Play, print out and staple
together for a picture diary.
Or you could use the voice function of KidPix to create scenes with dialogue. An adult or shepherd would have to type their
suggested lines, but the kids can dictate words for the characters, and load up a stage with saints and villains.
If your class creates blogs, you could upload the preschool pictures and add them to a photoblog or photocast.
20/20 HINDSIGHT.
The blogs worked out brilliantly for the big kids. Our single five yr old loved creating her own cover for her Esther diary.
She also liked the part of the Esther cartoon she saw with the big kids on Awesome Bible Stories. It's nice that you can just
show the kids segments or 'chapters' of that cartoon, and don't have to run the whole thing.
Click here to see our Xerxes and Esther blogs.
Click here to see the simple Preschool Slideshow we created to tell the Esther story to our little guys in the computer lab.
It should be noted that our computer lab consists of 1 donated older PC. As well, this month we used a MacBookPro laptop with
dual core and a portable Lexmark inkjet printer. It worked great for our 1-room Sunday school. While our youngest participant
designed her cover, the big kids drafted their blogs by hand or in the Typepad program on the PC. Afterward they inputted
their notes into the laptop for later posting.
ESTHER, ROTATION 2 WORKSHOPS
New workshops include: * Arts/ribbon plates * Kitchen/wheels of steel cookies * Music/teach All through the Night * Beatbox * Computer/Let's Talk, online animation
Please find below suggested workshops for this unit. For each one, when you are in real time with the children:
1. Quickly review or recap the story with them before starting activity. Each week, see how much more detail each group of
kids can supply on the story they've been studying.
2. Link or explain your activity to the current story.
ARTS -- keepsake ribbon plates
Every home has those keepsake collectors plate. Why not create a plate that commemorates Esther’s courage.
* You could make a simple paper plate version. Punch or cut holes at intervals around rim of paper plate.
Write a key line or verse in centre of plate.
Decorate with marker, scrapbook stickers, paints, whatever.
Weave ribbon through holes in rim. Leave slack to hang up.
* You could choose to modge podge the plate first with glue and scraps of tissue or magazine paper, print key verse on paper
and glue in centre.
* You could papier mache the plate to give them more of the heft of ceramic plates and decorate similar to above.
KITCHEN -- Wheels of steel cookies
This hearty snack would give Esther just the right nutritious shot in the arm before attempting to talk to King Ahasuerus.
** This recipe uses peanut butter. Try substituting soy butter or sunflower seed butter, available in specialty stores, if
you have a nut intolerance in your class.
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup butter * 1/2 cup peanut butter * 1 cup brown sugar, packed * 1 egg, beaten * 1 teaspoon vanilla * 3/4 cup
whole wheat flour * 1 cup oatmeal, uncooked * 1/4 cup wheat germ * 1/2 cup powdered milk * 1/4 teaspoon baking powder * 1/4
teaspoon baking soda * 3 tablespoons milk * 1-2 cup raisins
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Add substitute nut butter, sugar, egg an vanilla; beat well.
In a separate bowl combine flour, wheat germ, dry milk, baking powder and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet
and stir well.
Add milk, oats and raisins and mix.
On a greased cookie sheet place a heaping spoonful of dough and spread it into a circle leaving an inch or more between cookies.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired, and press into dough.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool before removing as they are very fragile while warm.
MUSIC -- Teach classic folk lullaby All through the Night
Esther spent the night fasting in the company of womenfolk before confronting Ahasueras. A song like All through the night
might have been comforting.
Here are a couple of verses of the lyrics:
Sleep my love, and peace attend thee
All through the night;
Guardian angels God will lend thee,
All through the night,
Soft the drowsy hours are creeping,
Hill and vale in slumber steeping,
I my loving vigil keeping,
All through the night.
While the moon her watch is keeping
All through the night
While the weary world is sleeping
All through the night
O'er thy spirit gently stealing
Visions of delight revealing
Breathes a pure and holy feeling
All through the night.
You can find the tune via quick Youtube search for All through the night, lullaby.
BEAT BOX
Why: use sound effects and action to reinforce key plot points of this bible story.
How it works.
**This concept is borrowed from the Beat Team segment in the children’s show 4 Square on Treehouse TV. If you have a
PC, you can view a clip online. Go to Treehousetv.com and follow the links. We Mac users would appear to be out of luck on this one!
Divide class into 4 groups or parts.
Brainstorm 4 different parts to produce together like a round.
Have groups practice separately. Then try each other's parts. Then come in in sequence like a round.
Take your Beat Box to another, perhaps younger class. Or share during worship at children's story time.
Suggestions for 4 parts.
1. Say, Esther brave and beautiful (curtsy)
2. Say, Mordechai, loyal and true (hand to heart)
3. Say, The King loves Esther (points scepter at her to come and talk to him)
4. Say, Esther saves the day. (all make cheering jumping jacks).
COMPUTER – Create conversation in Let’s Talk. Or try online animation.
1. Let’s Talk. Pick 2 characters from Esther. Draft a conversation between them in Let’s Talk. Share with the
class. Find more detail on Let's Talk on Sundaysoftware.com.
2. Portray the well-known drama in Esther through animation. Choose a scene to animate.
Find an animation site. Here’s an example:
* Fluxtime.com
Click here to return to Top of page for Background Notes and Esther, Rotation 1 Workshops.
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