A Purim Perspective on Diaspora Jews (S3, E21)

In this episode of Judaism in the 21st Century, Dr. Steven Labkoff and Rabbi Daniel Cohen explore Purim through a lens that feels strikingly modern. Set against the backdrop of exile, comfort, and choice, they unpack a lesser-known dimension of the Purim story: the Jews of Persia had the opportunity to return to Israel and chose not to.What does that choice teach us about Jewish life in the Diaspora today? Is living outside Israel merely geography, or does it carry moral and spiritual responsibility? Drawing on biblical history, rabbinic insight, and contemporary reality, this conversation examines assimilation, belonging, and the enduring question of how Jews everywhere share in a common destiny.As Purim approaches, this episode invites listeners to reflect on power, comfort, identity, and the meaning of returning “like a bird, not a cloud.”