Purim is an annual Jewish holiday that is observed in Israel and by the Jewish communities globally. This festivity celebrates the deliverance of ancient Jewish people from a plot by the Persian vizier Haman to obliterate them, as recounted in the Megillah, the book of Esther, in the Hebrew Bible. Purim, which means 'lots,' signifies the strategy Haman utilized to select the day to destroy the Jews.
This holiday is often known as the most joyous day in the Jewish calendar. In Israel, the celebration usually involves joyful public readings of the book of Esther, gifting food baskets to friends, donating to charity, and enjoying a festive meal. Costumes and plays, known as Purimspiels, are popular, and the atmosphere is often one of merrymaking and laughter, mirroring the jubilance of having evaded destruction.
Typically falling in late winter or early spring, Purim might seem like a Mardi Gras or carnival-like party to outside observers due to its costumed revelers and public celebrations. Yet, underlying the fun, there is a seriousness to Purim. The story it recalls—a near-genocide of the Jewish people—is a grim reminder, woven through Jewish history, of recurring threats to the survival of the Jews. With this mix of sobriety and celebration, Purim represents the strength and resilience of the Jewish people.