Purim celebrations took place all over Israel. In Tel Aviv, the main street, Ben Yehuda St., was closed and set up with stages for entertainment, musicians, childrens' storytellers, clowns, and more. Children and parents came out en masse in all manner of costumes: princesses, clowns, pirates, flamenco dancers; entertainers on stilts mingled with the crowd.

Purim is the celebration of the courageous and influential Queen Esther (Book of Esther)who married the Kind of Persia, Ahashverosh, and ultimately saved the Jews from the evil plan of Haman, one of the King's advisors, to kill all the Jews in Persia (modern day Iran). In honor of the occasion, the entire Book of Esther is read in synagogues all around the world, and every time the name Haman is mentioned, noisemakers are sounded! In an odd twist, it is a time Jews are exhorted to drink and dress in masks and costumes. A traditional pastry, in America called Hamantaschen, in Israel called Oznai Haman (Haman's ears) is made. It is triangular with pinched corners and usually filled with poppy seeds, date jam, or chocolate.

The gallery of photos are snapshots of some of the costumes and festivities -- not all are well composed or even well focussed but hopefully, they give an idea of the event attended by young and old, able-bodied and disabled.