Just a few weeks ago, the streets of the world’s major capitals were filled with a familiar, chilling sight: thousands marching under banners of hate, casting Israel as the “modern-day Haman.” The narrative of our isolation seemed set in stone.

But in the blink of an eye—the time it takes for a tyrant to fall—the world has turned upside down. We are witnessing a v’nahafoch hu (reversal) so powerful it feels pulled directly from the parchment of Megillat Esther.

As news broke of the regime’s collapse in Iran, the celebrations didn’t just happen in Jerusalem. They erupted in the heart of Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan. But the “reversal” has gone global. In Athens, where anti-Israel rhetoric has often been loud, crowds gathered in a strange, hopeful solidarity. In Amsterdam, the Dam Square—a place that has recently felt the sting of rising antisemitism—became a sea of “Lion and Sun” flags flying alongside the Blue and White.

They weren’t just celebrating the fall of a dictator; they were celebrating the success of the Jewish State in making it happen.

This global shift brings me back to a single verse in the Megillah, a verse that includes in it a mysterious word that appears only ONCE in all of the TaNaKh:

And in every province and in every city, when the king’s command and decree arrived, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many of the people of the land mityahadim (מתיהדים), for an awe of the Jews had fallen upon them. (Esther 8:17)

Traditionally, commentators often assume this meant that the Persians “converted” to Judaism out of fear. But a deeper look reveals something far more relevant to our times. As Rabbi Dr. Aaron Koller argues in his article, “Becoming Jews?: Literary Reversal and Identity Expansion in Esther 8:17” (Vetus Testamentum, 2026), the word describes a “sincere communal and social affiliation.” It was a political realignment. In the Megillah, once the decree was reversed and Mordekhai was empowered, the Persians didn’t necessarily run to a Beit Din to become Jews; rather, they made a public declaration: “I am with them.” They recognized that the Jews represented the side of justice and life.

“Help Has Arrived”

The biblical resonance of this moment was made explicit as by Prime Minister Netanyahu in his speech at the outset of this war. He spoke directly to the soul of a nation, issuing a charge that will surely be remembered as a turning point in Middle Eastern history:

“The Iranian people in all their diversity—Persians, Kurds, Azeris, Balochs, Ahwazis, and all other citizens of this wonderful nation—this is your opportunity to establish a new and free Iran. Take your destiny into your own hands. Hold your head high, look to the skies, our forces are there, the pilots of the free world, all coming to your aid. Help has arrived.”

By telling the Iranian people to “take your destiny into your own hands,” the Prime Minister is inviting a modern “Mityahadim” Moment—a mutual recognition that we are on the same side of history. The Persians in the streets of Tehran today, and those in Amsterdam and Greece, are responding to that charge. They are siding with us because they see the light of freedom – they see Israel for whom we really are.

We Are Living the Megillah

The biblical moment should not be lost on anyone. In the Megillah, the “peoples of the land” joined the Jews because they recognized the “awe of the Jews”—which meant a profound awe of their resilience and divine protection. Today, thousands who were previously silent or hostile are taking to the streets with love and admiration. The “Mityahadim” Moment teaches us that our strength isn’t just in our military—it’s in the power of our story to attract those who seek life over death.

May we have the wisdom to keep our doors open and our hearts ready for this new chapter of Jewish history.

Am Yisrael Chai.