Figure 1.--These unidentified Jewish children, presumably siblings, in Mandarory Palestine during the 1930s had their portrait taken during Purim. |
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Purim has been described as one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. In contrst to the fun of the celebration, it commemorates a narowly averted ancien Holocaust when the Jewish people living in the Persian Empire were narowly saved from destruction. Purim related to Akkadian (Persian) 'pūru' is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire They had conquiered by Babylon earlier and Persian conquered the Babylonias. And Cyrus had allowed them to return to Israel. While still under Persian control, a plot developed to destroy them. Haman, the royal vizier to King Ahasuerus (thought to be Xerxes I, wanted to kill all the Jews in the empire. These plans were foiled by Mordecai and his cousin and adopted daughter Esther, who had risen to become Queen of Persia. Ahasuerus apparently did not know that she was Jewish. The histriodicity of Purim hs been question by scholars. The day of deliverance became a day of feasting and rejoicing for Jews. Other customs include drinking wine or any other alcoholic beverage, wearing of fanciful masks and costumes, and public celebration. It is a fun holiday in Israel, It is not a school holiday.
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