Purim

The ancient story

The festival recounts events from the Persian royal court under King Ahasuerus. A royal minister named Haman plotted to eradicate the Jewish population across the empire. He cast lots, known in Hebrew as purim, to determine the date for their massacre. Mordecai, a Jewish courtier, learned of the scheme and urged his orphaned cousin Esther, who had become queen, to intervene. Risking her life, Esther revealed her heritage to the king and exposed Haman at a banquet. The king ordered Haman executed and granted the Jewish community the right to defend themselves. Following their victory, Mordecai established an annual day of joy and thanksgiving.

Synagogue readings and costumes

Celebrations begin with a public reading of the Scroll of Esther, known in Hebrew as Megillat Esther. Synagogues fill with listeners of all ages, many dressed in fancy dress, masquerade masks, or festive robes. Special blessings and additions are inserted into the daily liturgies and the grace following meals. In Sephardic and Mizrahi households, families historically applied henna for the occasion. Many towns also host street parades and carnivals called Adloyada, where music, theatre, and elaborate costumes turn the holiday into a bright public celebration.

Feasting, gifts and charity

Four core duties shape the observance. Beyond listening to the scroll, Jewish law instructs people to send packages of ready-to-eat food and drink, called mishloach manot, to friends and neighbours. Donating to the impoverished, known as mattanot la-evyonim, ensures that everyone can participate in the festivities regardless of wealth. In the afternoon, households gather for a celebratory banquet named seudat Purim, featuring wine, alcoholic drinks, and sweet triangular pastries called hamantashen, which translates to Haman's pockets. The atmosphere is meant to be joyful and relaxed.

Walled cities and Shushan Purim

The timing of the festival reflects ancient geography. While most Jewish communities mark the holiday on the fourteenth day of the month, Shushan Purim is observed on the fifteenth. This tradition stems from the capital city of Shushan, where fighting continued an extra day. Ancient Jewish law established that settlements fortified with walls during the era of Joshua follow this later date. Today, Jerusalem observes Purim primarily on the fifteenth. Certain historical towns with ancient roots, such as Hebron and Tiberias, hold celebrations across both consecutive days.

How Purim is kept

Observance begins around sunset as congregations gather in synagogues to hear the Megillah read from a parchment scroll. Attendees often wear costumes and masks. The following morning, the scroll is chanted again during prayer services. During the day, families distribute food packages containing at least two edible items to acquaintances and distribute monetary gifts to those in need. In the late afternoon, relatives and friends sit down for a festive meal with wine and sweet baked goods like hamantashen, singing and celebrating together until nightfall.

When and where

Purim takes place each year in late winter or early spring on the Hebrew calendar date of 14 Adar. In leap years, which occur seven times across every nineteen years, it is kept during the second month of Adar. A preceding fast commemorates Esther's three days of prayer.

Purim is celebrated across Jewish communities worldwide. In Israel, public parades and street festivities fill cities, while in Jerusalem, the holiday is observed on the fifteenth of Adar under the ancient designation of Shushan Purim. Other historic settlements celebrate on both dates.

What Purim means

The name Purim comes from the ancient word for lots, recalling how a hostile minister drew lots to pick a day of destruction. For Jewish communities, the festival represents unexpected rescue, divine providence working behind historical events, and the power of communal solidarity. Giving food to friends and money to the poor reinforces social bonds and ensures shared relief.

On the table

• hamantashen
• wine

Days Purim is marked

Purim dates: 2026, 2027, 2028

Questions people ask about Purim

See also

MimounaA Maghrebi Jewish celebration marking the end of Passover with sweets and open doorsYom KippurThe holiest day in Judaism, dedicated to fasting, prayer and atonementSukkotA seven-day autumn Jewish festival of temporary booths, harvest prayers and hospitality

Good reading and sources

• Encyclopaedia BritannicaArticle
• Jewish Holidays: The Fast of EstherJewish Virtual Library, Article
• Jewish Holidays: The Fast of EstherJewish Virtual Library, Article

• Purim on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-04.