Jewish Holiday of Purim Brings Smiles to Hebron

Annual parade draws crowd for joyous holiday fun.

Purim in Hebron

The Jewish community of Hebron held their annual Purim parade on Thursday, March 1, 2018, to the delight of families, children and adults. Many came from other cities for the festive occasion in which people dressed up, sang and danced in celebration of the Jewish holiday. The evening before, the Megillah, or Scroll of Esther was read at the Tomb of Machpela.

The next day, the festivities began, including what now have become local Hebron traditions, such as the decorated tractor which rolls down King David Street and the juggling clown. A Purim carnival with children’s activities such as a costume contest took place as well.

Purim traditions are rich in Hebron and include the Window Purim, an incident which took place in the 1800s in which the community was saved from a cruel Ottoman pasha by a miracle. Another mini-Purim of yesteryear was the Purim of Ibrahim Pasha, in which the community was saved during a revolt of Arab peasants against feudal Arab landowners.

Purim in Hebron

(Originally published on en.hebron.org.il 4.3.18)