1) Esther was a Jew who lived in the Persian empire during the reign of King Xerxes. 2) Her parents died when she was young, and she was taken in by her cousin Mordecai. 3) When Xerxes held a beauty contest to find a new queen, Esther won and became queen. 4) Mordecai discovered a plot against the king, and Esther convinced Xerxes to spare his life. 5) Esther's intervention saved the lives of all the Jews in the empire from being exterminated. 6) The festival of Purim celebrates Esther's courage and her role in saving the Jewish people. 7) Esther is an important figure in both Jewish and Christian traditions.