To make things even more interesting, it’s also a slightly wacky, cartoon-style comedy with an affinity for novel turns of phrase, understated slapstick, and a sprinkling of well-placed one-liners.

It’s the ancient, true story of Queen Esther, brought vividly to life in a new feature-length, animated video, The Queen of Persia. But if the word “animation” makes you think of the silky-smooth, seamless style of Disney, or Pixar, or Lights: The Miracle of Chanukah, think again, because The Queen of Persia is unlike anything out there.

For one thing, its “still-animation” style is created by electronically manipulating still images to give the impression of movement. The result is an entertainment experience that gives one the feeling that the scenes and characters have sprung straight off the pages of a comic book.

For another thing, this retelling of the timeless Biblical story is faithful to the facts given in Megillat Esther (the “scroll of Esther”) and its traditional commentaries. Watching The Queen of Persia, or reading its companion 100-page, full-color, illustrated book with the same title, is more than just great entertainment—it’s a real education.

“We follow the authentic Biblical narrative,” said Rabbi Moshe Moscowitz, president of Shazak Productions and executive producer of The Queen of Persia. “But we use modern language to reach a 21st-century audience. When somebody reads our book or sees our video, they are able to look at the story in a completely new way. The Queen of Persia reaches educated, technology-savvy people on their level; it’s sophisticated and intelligent. But most of all, it’s a whole lot of fun.”