What is Purim? What to know about the Jewish holiday that begins Saturday evening [View all]
Purim, a Jewish holiday celebrating joy and salvation, begins Saturday evening and ends Sunday evening. Among the celebrations: many Jewish children will dress up and feast on triangular sweets on Saturday evening.
Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion President Andrew Rehfeld said Purim (pronounced like "poor-ihm"
surrounds a story about how Persian King Achashverosh wanted to kill all Jewish people, but the plan was thwarted when his wife Esther convinced him otherwise and executed his advisor Haman during a feast.
Hebrew studies professor at the University of Florida Yaniv Feller said most Jews in the U.S. celebrate by reading the megillah, or the book of Esther, on Saturday evening.
Feller said a tradition is growing for children to wear costumes typically of figures in the story. He added they often go to a Saturday service and use noisemakers whenever Haman's name is said.
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Seems redundant to post this here, but, then again, maybe not.
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