Esther... threaded with Grace

This Saturday night is Purim, one of our most boisterous and fun festivals, enjoyed by children who compete for the best costume, and adults who have permission to drink and be silly! But the story is actually incredibly troubling, and as I became aware last shabbat sitting in our 'cosy corner' reading a story to under 8's during the sermon slot, it's really not a child-friendly story!
One of the issues (there are many!) that I've struggled with is how women's bodies and beauty are used and abused, and what strange models of relationships it presents us with. Some of this I tried to work through in an article that was published this month in issue 24 of the interfaith magazine Faith Initiative:Embracing Diversity http://www.faithinitiative.co.uk/. The editor has kindly given me a pdf of the article, accompanied by the beautiful art work of  Yoram Raanan, so thought it would be my Purim offering to you all! I may manage a recipe before Purim but just in case I don't this is food for thought I hope! The pdf can be found here:

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B0YedPgd3B4YNzdkYmU1NDEtZGYwNi00NWY5LWJiOWQtZTZlMWEwNDdlYzE5&hl=en&authkey=COWfv4wB

 Purim Sameach!