It's Purim today in most of Israel, and tomorrow in Jerusalem (because it's a walled city and fighting went on longer in the walled city where the event that is being commemorated happened). Both days are holidays -- not shabbat type holidays, but Western weekend type holidays. Some shops are open, schools are closed.
Purim commemorates the saving of the Jewish people in Persia, the story is in the book of Esther. It's a bit like Hallowe'en, everyone is dressed up -- well, not today, for now it's just the really keen folks and children. Firecrackers are going off. Festivals and public parties are the order of the day. Instead of candy, it's cookies for Purim. They are called Haman's (the
scheming Persian prime minister whose plot to kill the Jews Esther, and
her adoptive father Mordecai, foiled) ears -- triangles of dough filled
with poppy seeds or prunes. Yum!
And, get this, it's the one day of the year that you are meant to get drunk...drunk enough that you lose certain cognitive functions, like the ability to distinguish the phrases "cursed is Haman" and "blessed is Mordecai"...whether you lose those functions because you are sleeping or blotto is a matter of some debate.
If I get some pictures tomorrow at the street party I'll post them here.
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| street party in Nachlaot |
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| a carrot and bunny i know |
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| Purim - Jerusalem February 25, 2013 |
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| beer, beer, beer |
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