פורים שמח!

" Purim Same'ach" Happy Purim, and a happy purim it was! and quite long as well!

Quick overview of the holiday: Purim is a holiday where Jews celebrate the deliverance of the Jewish people from the Persian Empire and Haman's rule. The Megilla is the book that tells the story of Purim. On the day before the night of Purim religious Jews fast because Queen Esther fasted for three days in the story. During Purim you are supposed to do 4 things: 1. read the megilla, 2. give mishloach manot (gifts, technically 2 things to one person is enough) 3. give charity to the poor and 4. feast and drink, a lot. Jerusalem and a few other cities who had walls around them at the time of Joshua celebrate Shushan Purim...which is the day after Purim everywhere else. Also, very importantly, Purim is like Halloween, you dress up, except no one is too cool, adults, children, everyone! its awesome!

Monday night Allie came with me to a Purim costume contest party thing, the first of many parties with free food and alcohol. Afterward we went out in Tel Aviv. Florentine and the surrounding streets were packed for blocks and blocks and blocks. Soooo many people in the streets partying. We couldn't even make phone calls because cell phones wouldn't work, haha. Allie, Darya, and I eventually managed to meet up with Abe and his friend Jackie and walked to the Diner on the beach :). Tuesday Darya and I went with Allie back to Jerusalem. We went to the party at her absorption center and then went out with her friends in the city there. Wednesday we went to the Old City to celebrate Shushan Purim with all the relig Jews, hung out on the roof tops, saw some interesting sights, good times. Thursday we just went out in Tel Aviv, no more Purim, and then Friday Estelle, Julie, Allie and I went to Kibbutz Ein Herod, Estelle's family's kibbutz, for their Purim party! First, the kibbutz was great, such an awesome community. We had home cooked meals and I watched TV for the first time in 6 weeks or something? haha. But the party was great too, free to get in, free alcohol (even a white russian machine?!) and lots of food. All in all, I definitely got my moneys worth out of my Peter Pan outfit (although I was 80's for half of one night, haha) and I'm glad I finally experienced a true Purim :).

pictures will be up shortly, the photo uploader wasn't cooperating..