Purim: Anyone You Want to Be

Of all the Jewish holidays, and there are more than just a few, Purim is probably the most beloved by Israelis, young and old. For kids it means dressing up, giving out mishloach manot (gift baskets of food) to their friends and neighbors, and even getting a couple of days off of school. In the working world, Purim is a floating holiday that you can chose to take off, but even if you go to work there are still plenty of parties to attend at night.

In the States, many offices have holiday parties at the end of December. In Israel, you find some office Chanukah parties, but more popular are Purim parties. I went to Ariel’s office party the other day and had a blast. The party was in a nearby club, complete with hour devourers, an open bar, and of course lots of costumes. There was also a short film that was a parody on the bosses and senior executives in his office, as well as a costume contest where Ariel took 3rd place! The atmosphere was festive, the alcohol was flowing and the people were dancing.

There is something about putting on a costume that makes you forget your inhibitions. At the party people had on all sorts of costumes, from cross dressers to cavemen and animals to artists. I tried on a black wig in the store and decided that I had to do something with it; the saleswoman suggested Uma Thurman from Pulp Fiction.

On Friday, Tel Aviv was packed full of people in costumes. Some had full out costumes while others had on bunny ears or a colorful hat. There was a festive feeling in the air that made you want to dress up and join the fun. In the States I remember dressing up when I went to Jewish day school or to synagogue but I always noticed how I was the only one in costume when I was walking down the street. In Tel Aviv, it is the most normal thing in the world to be dressed in drag, like a pirate or a fairy; No one looks at you twice (unless they are admiring your costume).

The best part about Purim is that you can wear what you want, do want you want, drink what you want…and the next day it is as if it never happened. There are no rules on Purim, as far as social behavior goes and there is an unspoken creed that whatever happens on Purim is accepted without judgment.

Chag Sameach.