The Jewish carnival holiday of Purim, marking the story of the Book of Esther, carries special resonance this year. A look at the celebration in wartime Israel. Accessibility links.

Jewish ultra-Orthodox men and children, some wearing costumes, celebrate the festival of Purim at a synagogue in Bnei Brak, Israel, March 17, 2022.

Jewish children in Demnate, Morocco, participate in an Alliance Israélite Universelle Purim program in 1955 (AIU/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain) My late maternal grandmother, Iran (yes, that was ...

Some Jewish people honor Queen Esther's fasting and prayer period with a fast of their own during Purim. This year, those honoring the Purim fast (also called the Fast of Esther) will fast on ...

I had the pleasure of acquiring a truly exceptional piece from this rich literary tradition – an Italian manuscript from 1715 that brings together, between two modest covers, some of ...

The Purim story is not one of clear right and wrong, writes Michael David Lukas — and Israel's war in Gaza makes confronting that essential.

Purim is an annual festive holiday that celebrates a young Jewish woman’s heroic role in saving her people, and it may have been celebrated as far back as the 5th century B.C.E.

All over the world, Purim is celebrated on the 14th of the Jewish month of Adar. However, cities surrounded by a wall at the time of Esther (5th century BCE) mark the holiday a day later.

Some Jewish people honor Queen Esther's fasting and prayer period with a fast of their own during Purim. This year, those honoring the Purim fast (also called the Fast of Esther) will fast on ...