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Purim

Ultra-Orthodox Jews celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim in the ultra-Orthodox city of Bnei Brak amid the war with Iran and ongoing missile fire toward Israel, March 3, 2026 (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
March 5, 2026, 4:39 pm
Daily Briefing Mar. 5: Deadly Iranian strike changes Purim for Haredi enclave in Beit Shemesh
Political correspondent Sam Sokol and reporter Charlie Summers discuss the fatal Iranian attack and its effect on holiday celebrations
By Jessica Steinberg, Sam Sokol and Charlie Summers
Revelers gather on the road to celebrate Purim in Jerusalem's Nahlaot neighborhood on March 4, 2026. (Charlie Summers/Times of Israel)
March 5, 2026, 3:36 am
Flouting wartime restrictions, revelers party in Jerusalem streets for Purim’s final hours
Giant street party lasts into night as cops repeatedly fail to disperse drunken crowd for defying IDF ban on public gatherings; ‘Whoever is destined to die will die,’ says partygoer
By Charlie Summers
A man wearing a wolf costume with his daughter dressed as Little Red Riding Hood shops at a stall in the Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem, which was operating at limited capacity because of the war with Iran, during Purim in Jerusalem, March 4, 2026. (Theia Chatelle/ JTA)
March 4, 2026, 7:52 pm
Jerusalem marks a wartime Purim a day later than most, a tradition born in what is now Iran
With special status as a walled city during the time of the megilah story, the Israeli capital celebrates Shushan Purim with costumes, feasting and periodic runs to the bomb shelter
By Theia Chatelle
Residents of Beit Shemesh attend a Purim megillah reading on March 2, 2026. (Charlie Summers/Times of Israel)
March 3, 2026, 5:34 pm
After deadly missile impact, Beit Shemesh struggles to maintain Purim cheer
As city reels from strike, most synagogues stay open for Purim against army’s guidelines, but streets largely empty; Sunday’s tragedy ‘lowered the volume,’ says rabbi’s wife
By Charlie Summers
Esther Scroll scribed by Stellina bat Menachem in Venice, 1564. Braginsky Collection, Zurich, Switzerland. The artifact is part of the exhibition “The Girl Who Wrote” between March and September 2026. (Ardon Bar-Hama, Ra'anana/Courtesy of The Braginsky Collection, Zurich)
March 3, 2026, 3:22 pm
Her-storical documents: 2 Esther scrolls copied by female scribes celebrate Jewish resilience
The only two known ancient megillahs written by women are part of a new exhibition at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, whose opening has been postponed due to the Iran war
By Rossella Tercatin
Clergy at Congregation Shearith Israel in Dallas perform a parody of 'Y.M.C.A' on March 1, 2026. (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
March 3, 2026, 3:20 pm
At this Dallas synagogue, Purim comes with fog machines, zip lines and Broadway flair
For the past 8 years, Rabbi Adam Roffman has brought his music theater chops to the annual performance at Congregation Shearith Israel – and doubled its attendance in this Bible Belt community
By Grace Gilson
Jewish men and children, some dressed in costumes, read the Scroll of Esther as they celebrate the holiday of Purim in an underground parking garage as a precaution against Iranian missile attacks, in Tel Aviv, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
March 3, 2026, 9:55 am
The Purim story ‘with a different cast’: Mid-war, festival readings and parties move to bomb shelters
As Book of Esther is read aloud in Tel Aviv parking garage, sheltering father says conflict with Persia’s modern-day successor feels like the modern iteration of the 2,500-year-old saga
By Melanie Lidman
A clown performs at a park in Jerusalem's Katamon neighborhood, March 2, 2026 (Zev Stub/Times of Israel)
March 3, 2026, 6:10 am
In Jerusalem’s Katamon neighborhood, levelheadedness and levity prevail as rockets fly
Amid Purim preparations, residents express optimism over ongoing war with Iran as they enjoy the pleasant weather between scattered showers of missiles
By Zev Stub
Jews read the Megillat Esther (the Book of Esther) on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Purim, in Katzrin, northern Israel, on March 13, 2025. (Michael Giladi/Flash90)
March 2, 2026, 4:44 pm
From Zoom megillahs to sirens during reading, all you need to know about Purim at war
In light of the emergency situation, Israel’s Home Front Command has banned public gatherings, including recitations of the Book of Esther. Leading rabbis weigh in on how to celebrate
By Rossella Tercatin
Illustrative: Protesters wearing costumes depicting Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, left, and former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, right, September 21, 2021, UN General Assembly in New York. (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow)
March 2, 2026, 2:59 pm
What is the biblical holiday of Purim, and why do Israelis link it to Khamenei’s death?
Joint Israel-US strikes on the Iranian regime are taking place just as Jews are set to mark a festival commemorating another war against a Persian official who sought their destruction
By Rossella Tercatin
People take cover at Yitzhak Navon train station in Jerusalem as a siren sounds warning of incoming ballistic missile from Iran, March 1, 2026 (Rachel Alroey/Flash90)
March 1, 2026, 6:13 pm
Schools transition to distance learning amid ongoing missile fire from Iran
Home Front Command restrictions likely to curtail celebrations of the Purim festival, set to begin Monday evening
By ToI Staff
Reservist soldiers are seen in a border buffer zone opening fire toward Gaza during a reading of the Book of Esther, March 14, 2025 (Social media)
March 15, 2025, 7:08 pm
IDF removes reservists from Gaza over video of them shooting during Purim scroll reading
Soldiers filmed themselves firing upon mention of Purim villain Haman; army calls their behavior ‘contrary to IDF values ​​and operational procedures’
By Emanuel Fabian
In 2018, Paradesi Jews from all over the world gathered in Cochin to celebrate the 450th anniversary of their synagogue. (Shalva Weil)
March 14, 2025, 9:27 pm
Burning Haman: The lost Purim tradition of India’s ancient Cochin Jewish community
For centuries, Cochin Jews marked Purim by burning effigies of Haman, while the holiday represented the day when Jews from all backgrounds celebrated together
By Rossella Tercatin
Iranian Jews dance at the Tomb of Mordechai and Esther in Hamadan, Iran, March 13, 2025. (X video screenshot: used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
March 14, 2025, 1:21 pm
Iranian chief rabbi reads the Book of Esther at the Tomb of Mordechai and Esther
Yehuda Gerami dances with students, reads megillah scroll at site believed by local community to be in ancient city of Shushan
By ToI Staff
Reading the Book of Esther on Purim night, March 13, 2025 in Tel Aviv's Hostages Square (Paulina Patimer / Hostages Families Forum)
March 14, 2025, 12:02 pm
Thousands at Hostages Square for Purim gathering colored by hopes for captives’ salvation
Families write to Trump, as their only hope after ‘abandonment’ by government; ex-hostage Omer Shem Tov tears down ‘kidnapped’ sign, jokes about his last appearance on stage – in Gaza
By ToI Staff
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