Last week, I tried to explain Halloween to a taxi driver. Knocking on strangers' doors and eating their candy sounds strange when you didn't grow up with it. The topic came up when I asked the taxi driver the history of Purim, the Israeli version of Halloween. Purim is a Jewish holiday, celebrated on the 14th and 15th days of the Hebrew month, Adar. It stems from a story in the Book of Esther that takes place in the 4th Century BCE when Ancient Persia ruled over the land that is currently Israel. After the king's anti-semite prime minister ordered all Jews to be executed, Esther and Mordechai, two central characters in the Tanakh and Old Testament, convinced the king to let the Jews fight back. The 14th represents the day in which the Jews defeated their enemies and the 15th is when they rested and celebrated. This year, the 14th and 15th of Adar fell on February 28th and March 1st. Despite its religious underpinnings, today it is celebrated just like Halloween (minus the candy), only the dressing up and partying lasts all week. Starting on Sunday, Tel Avivians wore elaborate costumes out and about. And my favorite: mustard, a chef, and ketchup. With their little dog, a hamburger. People dressed up as everything - from Wonder Woman to Adam & Eve to ice cream. I was so impressed by the intricate costumes and makeup. One that stood out was a woman who somehow attached a zipper to her face. It looked like this. (Photo courtesy of https://www.designtrends.com/fashion/makeup-designs/zipper-face.html) People celebrate Purim in many different ways. Yesterday, there was a street party in the Ben Yehuda/Rothchild area where some of my friends bought all-you-can-drink passes to bars. Others went to Synagogue, while others went to the beach since it was such a nice day. I was also invited to an Indian curry lunch to celebrate Purim. Celebrating lasts all hours of the day and night. Some of my friends partied at Purim-themed nightclubs (e.g., superhero night) and others went to Jerusalem's Shuk where many people gathered late into the evening. I celebrated by going to a street party today, which was hosted by Tel Aviv Municipality. They had a stage with a DJ. There were thousands of people there, each person with an interesting costume. I enjoyed seeing how similarly Americans and Israelis celebrate. At the street party, I felt like I could have been back home at the local fair. However, Israelis outdo Americans when it comes to costumes. Some of my Israeli friends had 3 different costumes to wear to different events. In all, I find Purim to be a more intense version of Halloween. Its religious roots and significant meaning make its celebration important to most Israelis. Whether you choose to recognize the holiday by getting drunk or praying, there is something to do for everyone in Tel Aviv. |
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