I admit from the start that I misunderstood the headline when I saw it, before I read the article.

I saw the headline, dress up like Barak Obama, and assumed it was using Obama as a symbol of a modern-day Amalek, or something like that.

Turns out, it isn't.

Rav Efraim Zalminovitz, rav of Mazkeret Batya, called on the masses to dress up for Purim like US President Barak Obama.

Rav Zalminovitz explained that Obama is a person who attempts to bring peace to the world. It would be a tremendous possitive message to have many thousands of students around the country dressed up in costume like the American president, and it would send a positive message to the US and to the world that we are looking for peace, that we love our closest friend, the USA, so much.

Rav Zalminovitz explains that such imagery would be worth so much more than a thousand words. He says this would improve the "hasbara" of Israel and convince the world that we are a people who desire a life of peace and security. Rav Zalminovitz adds that even if it were to require giving away land, parts of Eretz Yisrael that were promised to Avraham our forefather, we would show the world that we have the words of the Ramban that require us to accept the permission of the nations of the world to return to Zion.

Rav Zalminovitz explains that it is worthy to dress up in costumes with positive messages, such as a good gentile who seeks peace
source: Kipa

ok then. I'm not quite sure why he had to talk about giving away land in this message. Also, we already returned to Zion, with the permission of the nations. If they would take away that permission now, after the fact, would we have to leave, according to the Ramban?

get your Barak Obama face masks from amazon :-)