This handwritten Book of Esther called the Megillah (“scroll”), for the holiday of Purim, belonged to my maternal grandfather. I never knew my grandfather, but I cherish having something that I know was his, was touched by his hands, and that connects us. Unfortunately, not much else is known about where the scroll came from and how my grandfather acquired it, but I can feel history—mine and that of the Jewish people—when I hold it, and I try to imagine the answers to those unknown questions. There are other kinds of megillahs, but only Esther is read from a handwritten scroll—traditionally written with a goose quill. There had been water damage to some of the lettering on this scroll, but the ink still glistens on the leather. Happy Purim, and don’t forget to make some noise if you see the name of the badman of the story--Haman….it’s written 54 times in the Megillah!