Purim is a festive and joyous holiday.
Children and adults alike dress up in costumes and read the Book of Esther (Megillah Reading) which tells the story of the holiday, and eat hamantashen, triangle shaped cookies filled with chocolate or fruit. The book of Esther is the only biblical book in which God is not mentioned.
Under the rule of King Ahashverosh, Haman, the king’s prime minister, plots to exterminate all of the Jews of Persia. His plan is foiled by Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai, who ultimately save the Jews of Persia from destruction. The reading of the megillah typically is a rowdy affair, punctuated by booing and noise-making when Haman’s name is read aloud. Esther is the only biblical book in which God is not mentioned.
Dates (Jewish Holidays begin at Sundown):
2014: March 15 – March 16
2015: March 4 – March 5
2016: March 23 – March 24
2017: March 11 – March 12