Illustrative: Ultra-Orthodox Jews and a child wearing a costume read the book of Esther at a synagogue in the city of Bnei Brak on March 4, 2015. (AFP PHOTO/MENAHEM KAHANA)
The Purim holiday was celebrated throughout Israel on Thursday (with the exception of Jerusalem), with costumes, parades, and the traditional reading of the scroll of Esther and gift-giving.
Parties and parades were scheduled throughout the country, as the lively festivities — commemorating the averted genocide of the Jews in the Persian empire some 2,500 years ago, saved by the Jewish Queen Esther — kicked off.
In Israel, many cities throw parades to mark the festivities, while others celebrate with large meals with friends and copious amounts of alcohol.
Jerusalem was set to celebrate the holiday on Friday, as part of a tradition that maintains that certain ancient walled cities mark the day after the holiday.
A man dressed up as Naftali Bennett in one of his campaign ads, at the Oz VeGaon outpost in Gush Etzion. March 4, 2015. (photo credit: Gershon Elinson/Flash90)A dressed up Israeli takes part in a parade during the festivities of the Jewish Purim festival on March 5, 2015 in the central Israeli city of Netanya. (photo credit: AFP PHOTO / JACK GUEZ)Jews take part in the reading of the Megillat Esther on the eve of the Jewish Purim holiday, at the Oz VeGaon outpost in Gush Etzion. March 4, 2015. (photo credit: Gershon Elinson/Flash90)Ultra Orthodox Jewish men and children of the Vizhnitz chassidic dynasty seen during the reading of the Scroll of Esther in Bnei Brak on Wednesday night, March 4, 2015. (photo credit: Amir Levy/Flash90)Dressed up Israelis take part in a parade during the festivities of the Jewish Purim festival on March 5, 2015 in the central Israeli city of Netanya. (photo credit: AFP PHOTO / JACK GUEZ)Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men and children of the Vizhnitz chassidic dynasty seen during the reading of the Scroll of Esther, which tells the story of the Jewish festival of Purim, in Bnei Brak on Wednesday night, March 4, 2015. (photo credit: by Amir Levy/Flash90)An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man and his dressed-up child read the book of Esther at a synagogue in the Israeli city of Bnei Brak on March 4, 2015. (photo credit: AFP PHOTO / MENAHEM KAHANA)Dressed up Israelis take part in a parade during the festivities of the Jewish Purim festival on March 5, 2015 in the central Israeli city of Netanya. (photo credit: AFP PHOTO / JACK GUEZ)Israelis dressed up in costumes celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim on the streets of the Jewish settlement of Efrat, West Bank, on March 5, 2015. (photo credit: Gershon Elinson/Flash90)
Help us report truthfully on social media
As a multimedia journalist, my job is to take the quality, fact-based journalism produced by The Times of Israel newsroom and make it accessible across every platform — from Instagram posts to podcasts to short-form videos.
This is how many, especially young people, consume news these days. But misinformation is rampant on social media. Our team at ToI produces accurate, responsible short-form reporting on Israel and the Jewish world.
If you believe in the importance of factual social media journalism, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. Your financial support is essential to sustain responsible multimedia reporting.
We’re really pleased that you’ve read X Times of Israel articles in the past month.
That’s why we started the Times of Israel - to provide discerning readers like you with must-read coverage of Israel and the Jewish world.
So now we have a request. Unlike other news outlets, we haven’t put up a paywall. But as the journalism we do is costly, we invite readers for whom The Times of Israel has become important to help support our work by joining The Times of Israel Community.
For as little as $6 a month you can help support our quality journalism while enjoying The Times of Israel AD-FREE, as well as accessing exclusive content available only to Times of Israel Community members.
Thank you, David Horovitz, Founding Editor of The Times of Israel
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on Google
