Celebrating Purim

Purim - the holiday of the liberation of the Jews from extermination and persecution by the ancient Persians, who began to celebrate on 1 March. On this day people dress up in costumes of characters from the book of Esther, have fun, joke and drink, and to unconsciousness.






A girl from a family of ultra-Orthodox Jews in the dress of Queen Esther walks down the street in Jerusalem's Mea Shearim during the celebration of the Jewish holiday of Purim, March 1st. The history of this festival, described in the book of Esther (Esther) is rooted in the V century BC and is associated with the release of the Jews from genocide by the ancient Persians. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



Boy smokes Orthodox Jewish holiday of Purim in March 1st. Holiday devoted to the events described in the Old Testament and is connected with the salvation of the Jewish community of the Persian Empire from destruction. As described in the Book of Esther - the king's minister Haman planned to destroy the Jewish people. The name of the festival comes from the word "Pur" (Akkadian "Puru" - "lots"), which Haman cast to appoint month extermination of the Jews. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



Israeli drunk lying on the street in celebration of Purim in Mea Shearim. Purim - happy holiday, in which to drink wine. According to the Talmud, you need to drink as long as one does not cease to distinguish between enemies and friends. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



The boy aims a toy gun at the camera during the celebration of Purim. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



Drunken ultra Israelis in festive clothes and hat on Purim March 1st. According to the Bible, the Jewish people received the celebration of this day, not only for himself, but for all future generations. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



Boy dressed as a soldier with a toy gun in the Jewish holiday of Purim in Jerusalem's Mea Shearim, the oldest district of the city, which today inhabited mostly ultra-Orthodox Jews. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



Children in costume during the celebration of Purim. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



Jews with an umbrella on Purim. In modern Israel Purim carnivals are held, the oldest and most famous of which - "Adloyada" - was founded by choreographer Baruch Agadati in Holon in the early 1930s. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



Israelis in suits going to celebrate Purim in Mea Shearim neighborhood. Purim - Carnival celebration. Special genre of this holiday - Purimshpil executable by one or more actors during the festive meal. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



Initially these ideas were simple and short, but at the beginning of the XVIII century. these ideas have turned into drama with numerous roles, music and text in several thousand rhymed lines. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



Israelis traveling on the hood of a car on Purim. Since ancient times, it is customary to dress up in Purim costumes depicting different characters of the Megillah, and so on. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



Ultra-Orthodox Israeli helps bring a drunken Jew in the holiday of Purim. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



Boy dressed as an Arab in the Purim March 1st. On Purim, Jews joke. Not that the other days were not kidding, just kidding on Purim as required by law, and on other days of the year - at the behest of the heart. Jews over anyone laugh? Over the whole world and, above all, on the other. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



An ultra-Orthodox Jewish children during the celebration of Purim in Mea Shearim. Commandments that Jews should carry on Purim, symbolize joy, sweeping the survivors of the destruction of the Jews. (UPI / Debbie Hill)



Israelis watched from the balcony of the street party on March 1. (UPI / Debbie Hill)