S1E78 - Ambassador Ron Dermer on Esther 4:14 – “Esther’s Choice — and Ours: To Become an Instrument of Salvation”

Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Ambassador Ron Dermer, joins Mark for today’s episode. Born and raised in Miami Beach, Florida, Ron went on to become a graduate of both the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and Oxford University. He has been a columnist for the Jerusalem Post, and has served both as Israel’s Minister of Economic Affairs in the United States, and as one of the closest advisors to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The passage he has chosen to discuss is Esther 4:14. Ron begins the conversation by sharing the story of how he met his wife, before going on to summarize the passage and why it is meaningful to him. He and Mark then provide a thorough analysis of the passage, including how it represents the third round of battle between the Jews and Amalek, and its demonstration of the greatest statement of faith and Esther’s role as a navigator. The relevance of these themes throughout history and modern times are discussed, particularly in the context of Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech to the American Congress and the standing ovation that Esther received there. Their conversation concludes with Ron offering the lessons he has learned about humankind, which leads to a discussion of the need to be able to disagree with others without impugning them and the evolution of the Jewish relationship with the United States. Ron’s thorough grasp not only of scripture, but of history, politics, and diplomacy as well, renders him uniquely qualified in ‘bringing the Bible to modern times’ here today, as he passionately inspires all who listen to recognize and play their role in life, especially as it relates to securing the Jewish future. Episode Highlights: · The story of how Ron met his wife · His summary of the selected passage and why it’s meaningful to him · Esther as a talented navigator · The greatest statement of faith · The three rounds of battle between the Jews and Amalek · Esther’s role and intention in saving the Jewish people · The passage’s message to those dev