Purim: Fun events throughout Israel in 2024

Need a pick-me-up? It’s safe to say, these days, that most of us could do with a reason or two to be cheerful. With the Jewish holiday of merriment almost upon us, there are entertaining joy-inducing Purim events going on all over the country.

Jerusalem

One of the headliners has to be the Adloyada event in Jerusalem. It has been 42 long years since the traditional parade and associated cultural slots appeared in the capital. By the looks of it, the program devised by the Train Theater with the support of the municipality is aiming to make up for lost time with giant puppet characters and sculptures due to make their way through the downtown area on March 25, Shushan Purim.

There will be an abundance of cultural fare laid on by some of the city’s major institutions, including the Tower of David Museum, the Israel Museum, Hamifal, the Train Theater, the Djanogly Visual Arts Center, and the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design.

The live entertainment content features dance groups and music ensembles performing on stages especially constructed around town for the Adloyada. The diverse musical spread includes the Israel Klezmer Orchestra, Middle Eastern-Balkan groove outfit Gute Gute, the Israel Police Orchestra, and the highly popular Marsh Dondurma marching brass band.

The carnival and tributary vignettes will take place 10 a.m.-2 p.m. with street parties and other events dotted around town and in neighborhoods continuing on into the evening and night. For more information: bit.ly/437Tfl6

• The local Cinematheque will cater for children of all ages and adults on March 23-24. There will be screenings as well as a makeup corner, a dubbing workshop, and for adults, an evening screening of Mel Brooks’ anarchic comedic western Blazing Saddles, accompanied by a talk by director Alon Gur Arye. For more information: jer-cin.org.il/en

Holon

• Meanwhile, over in the country’s unofficial junior capital, Holon, the Mediatheque and the Children’s Cinematheque there are joining forces with Hop! TV, laying on a largely movie-based program for March 24. The filmic agenda begins at 10 a.m. and takes in such hits as Kung Fu Panda 4 and Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir. There are also movies for children over four, and the youngsters will be able to get in some hands-on fun at a makeup workshop, with film director Alon Gur Arye enlightening them about his work and the movie industry at a special talk. For more information: (03) 502-1552, mediatheque-theater.org.il
• There is much more in the way of Purim events and activities laid on around Holon on March 24-25. A large-scale celebratory happening takes place at four spots around the city, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m., with kids’ shows, a DJ stage, Purim costume competition, street shows and play stalls and all for free.
• On the same day (12 noon-4 p.m.) the Kiryat Sharret Sports Center hosts activities for special needs children. Entry is free with registration on the Holon Municipality website. And there are numerous other events lined up at community centers around town. For more information: holonet.co.il

Tel Aviv

As to be expected, there are an abundance of events going on in Tel Aviv over the extended holiday weekend.

• There will be plenty of vittles laid on by the ANU – Museum of the Jewish People on March 22. The multifarious multicultural edibles spread takes in Moroccan-style ungola Purim bread, nan-berenji Persian rice cookies with poppy seeds, and “Haman’s fingers,” nut-filled filo cigar cookies that come from the ancient traditions of Spanish Jewry. All the above, and more, will be available to the public at the museum’s culinary department’s Foodish pop-up stall at the farmers’ market at the Port of Tel Aviv, between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. For more information: foodish.org
• Over at ANU itself on March 24 and 25, kids and their families will be able to get into the festival atmosphere at the museum’s Heroes gallery and follow a Purim-themed route across the building’s three stories. The five-station trail will lead to a 16th-century megilla, through to the Jewish Humor Gallery and a spread of traditional costumes. The activity comes with a dedicated map with Purim quizzes and information about the exhibitions. For more information: (03) 500-8080, anumuseum.org.il
• The Israeli Opera generally lays on quality junior-tailored entertainment over Purim and this year is no different. On March 23 and 24 (10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. both days) a Hebrew language version of Alice in Wonderland, written by composer David Sebba and directed by Gadi Schechter, will take children aged 5-10 for a ride along the meandering fantasy world storyline as the Cheshire Cat, Queen of Hearts and Mad Hatter get up to their enduringly popular antics.

For more information: israel-opera.co.il/eng/

• Jaffa gets into the festive spirit with visitors able to take a trip around the world at various venues. The Flea Market will take on an Indian look while the Well Plaza goes Greek. The Red Park heads for Alaskan climes and Davidoff Park turns Brazilian. 
• Family spirit will reign supreme over at Meir Park in downtown Tel Aviv on March 25 (from 10 a.m.) with a range of workshops for all ages, acrobats, parades, clowns, food and arts and crafts stalls, and staged shows all laid on around the park.
• Folks looking to get out and about might enjoy any of a slew of Purim-themed guided tours laid on by the municipality, including an experiential headphone circuit of Old Jaffa, a costume nightlife tour in Florentin, and a family-oriented tour. The Port of Tel Aviv aims to keep the younger crowd gainfully and enjoyably engaged on March 23 with shirt-designing workshops, music shows, and theatrical activities.

Haifa

Haifa will also get into the festive thick of things with the musical Purim event at the Ofer Grand Canyon. The two-day program (March 24-25, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4 p.m.-7 p.m.) includes events and activities for all the family, such as Purim-themed workshops and hands-on slots for kids and their parents.

• There will also be an interactive facility where members of the public can have a go on musical instruments and even record the results of their sonic endeavor. Entry to all events and activities is free.

Netanya

• Residents of Netanya can enjoy a local Purim carnival on March 24-25 at the Ir Yamim Mall 12 noon-6 p.m. The two-dayer features a holiday beauty salon for children, mask-making activities, and mishloach manot and candy preparation workshops. 

For more information: iryamim-mall.co.il

Kiryat Ata

• Kids in Kiryat Ata should have a good time over Purim at the Shaar Hatzafon Mall on March 24 and 25. A balloon artist will greet children at the Princesses station, while kids with an artistic bent should enjoy a crown design workshop. There will also be some quality rhythmic entertainment, courtesy of the Mayumana dance and drumming troupe, at 12 noon on March 24, while kids’ superstar singer Meni Mamtera takes the same slot on the morrow.

Ein Hod

• Magic and art combine at the Janco Dada Museum at Ein Hod, March 23-25 (11 a.m.-2 p.m.). The World Is a Stage opener allows the public to get up close to masks, paintings, and characters created by pioneering artist Marcel Janco. The Maabadada experiential activity at 12:30 p.m. offers families an opportunity to convert everyday objects into decorative and artistic items and get dressed up in Purim costumes. All activities are suitable for children aged four and over. 

For more information: (04) 984-2350 and jancodada.co.il/

Hadera

Late afternoon and evening on March 24 is the time to be in Hadera to make the most of the Purim events at the Market Square and the nearby downtown streets. Kids’ entertainer Tal Mosseri will take the main stage together with beloved children’s character SpongeBob in a program of Israeli songs. There will also be two circus shows for all the family; marching bands; an art installation based on the theme of the taking of the Western Wall in the Six Day War; and a selection of children’s shows.