Purim our most fun filled holiday, occurs on the 14th day of Adar. This year, 5770 (2010), Purim begins sundown Shabbat, February 27th, and goes thru Sunday evening, February 28th.

In certain walled cities like Yerushalayim, Purim is celebrated on the 15th day of Adar, called " Shushan Purim," but more about that later.

We celebrate Purim by:

·          Reading Megillat Esther, (Scroll of Esther),

·          Mishloach Manot - Sending food to friends,

·          Matanot L'evyonim - Giving gifts to the poor, and

·          Enjoying a Purim Seuda (meal).

We also celebrate Purim by poking fun at ourselves and our Jewish institutions, throwing synagogue decorum out the window and dressing in costumes. The entire month of Adar, and not just Purim itself, is a time for silliness and humor - "....Mishenichnat Adar Marbim Besimcha" - "....When Adar arrives, we increase our happiness." (Ta'anit 29a). Purim, a wild and crazy holiday, is the holiday that proves Judaism has a sense of humor. Cross-dressing, prohibited in the Torah, is practiced by some on Purim. Many will be borrowing their spouse's clothes on Purim.

Purim is an important holiday. Jews throughout the world, surrounded by anti-semitism, take great joy in a holiday that reminds them, that even though throughout the course of Jewish History there have been too many real-life "Hamans," in the end Hashem never lets the anti-semites win.