Purim celebration in a Synagogue in the Mea Shearim district of Jerusalem.The young boys smoke their first cigarette, and are also allowed to drink.The elders are dancing in the center of the room.
The Festival of Purim lasts for three days. It commemorates the saving by Esther of Jews from a threatened massacre inspired by Haman in Persia.It is a happy holy day, silver trays covered with embroidered linen and sweet cakes are sent from family to family as peace offerings.Men dress as women, weomen as men, children as bearded old men, and old men as babies.During Purim one must drink until drunk, dance until exhaustion and when one awakes, one must remeber with sobriety the rest of the year, the presence of God and his commandments. Remember what it means to be a Jew.