The proximity of International Women's Day to Purim, leads me to think about examining the world of images we present to girls (and of course also boys and girls), and from it - about the world of our values and expectations.
There is a huge gap between the messages we present on Women's Day, about powerful and inspiring women, about women's achievements and their active place, and the world of images that connects to costumes.
The main turning point in the story of the rescue of the Jews in the Book of Esther, occurs when Esther is wearing a kingdom.
The scroll connects the garment with her self-image and personal activism.
It turns out that the garment makes the person and the change, and also produces reality.
Esther moves on to a new female figure as she wears a kingdom: from being a controlled and passive object, to an energetic and influential figure.
Dressed in royalty, Esther enters the king's court with renewed strength.
Up to this verse she is described as a girl whose fate is dictated by others, and hence she wears a queen's energy, a queen's standing and a queen's power - and changes history.
Esther wore kingship both in the external aspect (the type of clothing), in the behavioral aspect (speech and manner of conduct), both in the emotional aspect (not fainting in the face of the king's authority) and in the value aspect (acquires a high self-image).
From Esther we learn that a garment is not just the clothing we wear on our body - it expresses something internal, hidden (sometimes even hidden from our eyes).
The garment represents our role, our image.
Through it we identify each other, the geographical and cultural environment, and even our expectations of the wearer (how many times have we told a public servant “respect the uniform you wear”?).
Anyone who walks around the shops selling costumes for girls and teenage girls will surely agree with me that queens - are not there.
Every innocent costume nowadays gets a sexual interpretation.
Today we no longer dress up as a policewoman, but as a sexy policewoman;
There is no longer a nurse, but a maximum nurse in a minimum of clothes;
Even the heroine of the legends, Snow White, takes a turn in the plot and looks more like a seductive girl than an innocent girl.
Are these the clothes we want to dress our girls and girls (and ourselves) on Purim?
What world of images will lead to the behavior and personal image we want to impart?
And what is the image of girls that we want our boys to internalize?
True, Purim is a holiday of fun, of vent and of laughter.
But it is also a wonderful opportunity to dress up as inspirational characters, creators, scientists, women we educate our daughters to follow.
I do not think that girls should be forced to dress up as mere role models.
I really connect with the spirit of the holiday and do not want to be a joy striker, but I wish we could succeed in instilling in hearts the message that the garment makes the person - even on Purim itself.
This is the great paradox on International Women's Day.
He must not stand alone today to convey feminist messages.
It takes 365 days a year to feel it, and of course - on Purim too.
"... if by this time you have reached the kingdom," the scroll says, "any of our daughters can come to the kingdom, not only on Purim - but all year round."
The author is the chair of the "Emuna" movement - the national religious woman movement
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