Contents

Cover    1

Title Page    3

Copyright Page    4

Dedication    5

Acknowledgments    9

Cast of Characters    11

Map of the Persian Empire    12

Hadassah Kesselman    13

THE JERUSALEM STAR SOCIETY PAGE

“ . . . the Kesselman/ben Yuda wedding promises to be the social event of the summer . . .”

Haman, son of Hammedatha    27

KETHUVIM ESTHER 3:10

“ . . . the king removed his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman, son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the foe of the Jews.”

Hadassah, daughter of Abihail    57

KETHUVIM ESTHER 2:7

“ . . . had neither father nor mother. The maiden was shapely and beautiful . . .”

Xerxes, son of Darius    103

KETHUVIM ESTHER 1:1

“ . . . who reigned over a hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Nubia.”

Esther, Queen of Persia    227

KETHUVIM ESTHER 2:17

“The King loved Esther more . . . so he set a royal diadem on her head and made her queen. . . .”

Mordecai, son of Jair    315

KETHUVIM ESTHER 3:2, 4

“ . . . but Mordecai would not kneel or bow low. . . . They spoke to him day after day, and he would not listen. . . .”

Hadassah ben Yuda    355

THE JERUSALEM STAR FRONT PAGE

“ . . . Prime Minister to meet with Minister of Defense regarding current conflict . . .”

About the Author     363

Back Cover    364