(RNS) — The Jewish holiday of Purim is traditionally a wild and woolly festival in which costumes, noise making and drinking ...

Amidst the world’s many sacred days, one Jewish holiday stands out as uniquely joyful, playful, and deeply human—Purim. Often affectionately referred to as "Jewish Mardi Gras," Purim is more ...

One might say that the menorah and the ketoret were temidin, while the lechem hapanim was only switched once a week, on Shabbat. However, although it was only switched once a week, the lechem hapanim ...

Purim has come and gone, but I can’t stop thinking about it. Perhaps this is because Purim’s Megillat Esther is the only one of the five megillot that is read not once but twice. Eicha ...

I hope and pray for good news and better days, in which we can truly celebrate the Jewish holidays and calendar, together as ...

In the Diaspora, Jews stress their connection to Israel and the unity of the Jewish people. The story of Purim is told in the biblical text of Megillat Esther. As the Megillah teaches, the Jews of ...

Cleaning up beaches near Rio de Janeiro and learning about Jewish environmental values. Connecting with Jewish study abroad ...

Purim commemorates the time when the Jews were living in Persia and were saved by the courage of a young Jewish woman called Esther. General Practices: Many Jews hold carnival-like celebrations on ...