"their pride. The Jews were saved by the intercession of Mordechai's cousin Esther, who was also Ahasuerus' wife. It is this rescue that is still celebrated in the Jewish festival of Purim. In that festival, Haman is portrayed as the villain, and this is reflected in Rembrandt's depiction of him. According to the Pushkin Museum this is one of the best creations of Rembrandt's late period. Rembrandt was inspired by the play ""Hester"", by Johannes Serwouters (1623-1677), when painting ""Ahasuerus and Haman at the feast of Esther"". The playwright was first performed in 1659 in the Schouwburg of Van Campen"
"Purim Purim (; Hebrew: ""Pûrîm"" ""lots"", from the word ""pur"", related to Akkadian: ""pūru"") is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, who was planning to kill all the Jews. This took place in the ancient Achaemenid Persian Empire. The story is recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther ( ""Megillat Ester"" in Hebrew). According to the Book of Esther, Haman, royal vizier to King Ahasuerus/Achashverosh (presumed to be Xerxes I or Artaxerxes I of Persia, ""Khshayarsha"" and ""Artakhsher"" in Old Persian respectively) planned to kill all the Jews in the empire, but his"
"Esther and Mordechai in Hamadan. Some women pray there in the belief that Esther can work miracles. Shushan Purim falls on Adar 15 and is the day on which Jews in Jerusalem celebrate Purim. The day is also universally observed by omitting the Tachanun prayer and having a more elaborate meal than on ordinary days. Purim is celebrated on Adar 14 because the Jews in unwalled cities fought their enemies on Adar 13 and rested the following day. However, in Shushan, the capital city of the Persian Empire, the Jews were involved in defeating their enemies on Adar 13–14 and"
"and is about a Southern Jewish family's Purim celebration. However, once the film receives Oscar buzz, studio executives feel it is ""too Jewish"" and force the film to be renamed ""Home for Thanksgiving."" Purim Purim (; Hebrew: ""Pûrîm"" ""lots"", from the word ""pur"", related to Akkadian: ""pūru"") is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, who was planning to kill all the Jews. This took place in the ancient Achaemenid Persian Empire. The story is recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther ( ""Megillat Ester"" in Hebrew). According to the Book of Esther, Haman,"
"three regalim, it was customary for the Israelites to make pilgrimages to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices in the Temple. The High Holidays (""Yamim Noraim"" or ""Days of Awe"") revolve around judgment and forgiveness. Purim (Hebrew: ""Pûrîm"" ""lots"") is a joyous Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of the Persian Jews from the plot of the evil Haman, who sought to exterminate them, as recorded in the biblical Book of Esther. It is characterized by public recitation of the Book of Esther, mutual gifts of food and drink, charity to the poor, and a celebratory meal (Esther 9:22). Other customs include"
"Hanukkah Hanukkah ( ; ', Tiberian: ', usually spelled , pronounced in Modern Hebrew, or in Yiddish; a transliteration also romanized as Chanukah or Ḥanukah) is a Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. It is also known as the Festival of Lights (, """"). Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar. The festival is observed"
"12-13 Tammuz Yud Beis–Yud Gimmel Tammuz, the 12th and 13th days of Tammuz on the Hebrew calendar, are celebrated as a holiday by the Chabad Hasidic community. The holiday commemorates the liberation of Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the sixth Chabad Rebbe, from Soviet imprisonment. Schneersohn was born June 21, 1880 (12 Tammuz 5640). The day is marked by public gatherings, additional study and prayer. On Wednesday, June 15, 1927 (Sivan 15, 5687) Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, the sixth Rebbe of the Chabad Hasidic movement, was arrested and incarcerated by the Soviet communist regime for ""counter-revolutionary activities"". The main allegations against"
"Great Festival."" The first, ninth and twelfth days of the festival are celebrated as holy days. Annually on Jalál 13, Jamál 2 and Jamál 5. See Festival of Ridván. Annually on ‘Aẓamat 13. On these two holy days, the suspension of work is not required. Annually on Qawl 4. See Day of the Covenant Annually on Qawl 6. See Ascension of `Abdu'l-Bahá The Twin Holy Birthdays of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh are celebrated on the first and second day following the eighth new moon after Naw-Rúz. (In the Islamic lunar calendar, the births of the Báb and Bahá'u'lláh fell on"
"They are the 17th Tamuz, the 10th of Tevet and Tzom Gedaliah (the 3rd of Tishrei). The modern holidays of Yom Ha-shoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), Yom Hazikaron (Israeli Memorial Day) and Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day) commemorate the horrors of the Holocaust, the fallen soldiers of Israel and victims of terrorism, and Israeli independence, respectively. There are some who prefer to commemorate those who were killed in the Holocaust on the 10th of Tevet. The core of festival and Shabbat prayer services is the public reading of the Torah, along with connected readings from the other books of the Tanakh,"
"Shiraz Arts Festival The Shiraz Festival of Arts (Persian: جشنواره هنر شیراز) was an annual international summer arts festival, held in Iran bringing about the encounter between the East and the West. It was held from 1967 to 1977 in the city of Shiraz and Persepolis in central Iran by the initiative of Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi. Accompanied by symposia and debates, the festival program included music, dance, drama and film, performed in a variety of locations in Shiraz and surrounding areas. The venues included the ruins of Persepolis (ceremonial capital of ancient Persia), Naqsh-e Rostam, Hafezieh, Bagh-e Delgosha, Narenjestan, Bazaar-e"
"The festival of Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from the plot of Haman to annihilate them in the ancient Persian Achaemenid Empire, as described in the Book of Esther. It is a day of rejoicing and merriment, on which children, and many adults, wear costumes. It is customary to eat a festive meal, ""seudat Purim"", in the late afternoon, often with wine as the prominent beverage, in keeping with the atmosphere of merry-making. Many people prepare packages of food that they give to neighbors, friends, family, and colleagues on Purim. These are called ""mishloach manot"" (""sending of"
"years after the Jews' return to Jerusalem. According to the Book of Esther, during the reign of Persian King Ahasuerus, generally identified as Xerxes the Great (son of Darius the Great) in 6th century BCE, the vizier Haman instigated a plot to kill all the Jews of ancient Persia. The plot was thwarted by Queen Esther who ordered the hanging of Haman and his ten sons. This event is celebrated as the holiday of Purim. In 1947, Iran was one of the eleven nations selected to form a Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP) to recommend a resolution to the issue"
"Thirteen"" ( – ) by them. Instead, they picnic outdoors a day after Sizdah Be-dar. Sizdah Be-dar Sizdah Bedar ( – ), (lit. Thirteen Outdoor) also known as Nature's Day ( – ), is an Iranian festival held annually on the thirteenth day of Farvardin (the first month of the Iranian calendar), during which people spend time picnicking outdoors. It marks the end of the Nowruz holidays in Iran. Sizdah Be-dar is celebrated on the thirteenth day of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. It is celebrated by leaving houses to join nature, and spending the day outdoors. In Iranian Azerbaijan,"
"Shavuot Shavuot () or Shovuos (), in Ashkenazi usage; Shavuʿoth in Sephardi and Mizrahi Hebrew (, ""Weeks""), is known as the Feast of Weeks in English and as Pentecost () in Ancient Greek. It is a Jewish holiday that occurs on the sixth day of the Hebrew month of Sivan (may fall between May 15 – June 14). Shavuot has a double significance. It marks the all-important wheat harvest in Israel (), and it commemorates the anniversary of the day when God gave the Torah to the nation of Israel assembled at Mount Sinai—although the association is not explicit in"
"Bahmanagān Bahmanagān () or BAHMANJANA (Arabicized form of Middle Persian Bahmanagān; forms such as Bahmaṇča () or Bahmaṇčena are also found) was a Zoroastrian Iranian festival which was maintained until the Mongol invasion by Iranian Muslims. It takes place on the 2nd day of Bahman. In the old Zoroastrian calendar, when the day of the month coincides with the name of the month, then a feast (Persian: Jashn) was held. In this case, the month of Bahman which was the 11th month coicides with the day of Bahman (Bahman-rūz). Bahman is one of the archangels of Zoroastrianism. Henceforth, for each"
"Mehregan Mehregān ( or Jašn-e Mehr ""Mithra Festival"") is a Zoroastrian and Persian festival celebrated to honor the yazata Mithra (), which is responsible for friendship, affection and love. It is also widely referred to as the Persian Festival of Autumn. According to ""The Wiley-Blackwell Companion to Zoroastrianism"" (2015), it was originally a feast honoring the Zoroastrian ""yazata"" Mithra. By the 4th century BCE, it was observed as one of the name-day feasts, a form it retains in today. Still, in a predominantly Muslim Iran, it is one of the two pre-Islamic festivals that continue to be celebrated by the"
"and elsewhere celebrate Purim on the 14th and hold an additional ""megillah"" reading on the 15th with no blessings. Since today we are not sure where the walled cities from Joshua's time are, the only city that currently celebrates only Shushan Purim is Jerusalem; however, Rabbi Yoel Elizur has written that residents of Bet El and Mevo Horon should observe only the 15th, like Jerusalem. Outside of Jerusalem, Hasidic Jews don their holiday clothing on Shushan Purim, and may attend a ""tish"", and even give ""mishloach manot"", however this is not a religious obligation, but merely a custom. Purim Meshulash,"
"destroy Amalek. During the Purim festival, the Book of Esther is read in the commemoration of the saving of the Jewish people from Haman (considered to be an Amalekite) who leads a plot to kill the Jews. On the basis of Exodus 17:14, where the Lord promised to ""blot out the name"" of Amalek, it is customary for the audience to make noise and shout whenever ""Haman"" is mentioned, in order to desecrate his name. It is customary to recite Deuteronomy 25:17–18 (see below) on the Shabbat right before Purim. Of the 613 mitzvot (commandments) followed by Orthodox Jews, three"
"the holiday. Some Jews in North America and Israel have taken up environmental concerns in relation to Hanukkah's ""miracle of the oil"", emphasizing reflection on energy conservation and energy independence. An example of this is the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life's renewable energy campaign. Hanukkah Hanukkah ( ; ', Tiberian: ', usually spelled , pronounced in Modern Hebrew, or in Yiddish; a transliteration also romanized as Chanukah or Ḥanukah) is a Jewish festival commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire. It is also known as"
"Warsaw Jewish Film Festival The Warsaw Jewish Film Festival (WJFF.pl) is an annual Jewish film festival held in Warsaw, Poland, since 2003. WARSAW JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL (WJFF.PL) IS THE FIRST EVER AND THE LARGEST JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL IN POLAND AND EASTERN EUROPE. Established in 2003 has 15 years of experience acquiring some of the finest international, thematically Jewish, films. Movies which are dedicated to exploring Jewish culture, history and contemporary life of Jewish communities from around the globe. The Festival is a member of the Association of European Jewish Film Festivals. The 16th edition will take place on November 12-18,"
"Ridván Riḍván ( ; Persian transliteration: Riḍván, ) is a twelve-day festival in the Bahá'í Faith, commemorating Bahá'u'lláh's declaration that he was a Manifestation of God. In the Bahá'í Calendar, it begins at sunset on the 13th of Jalál, which translates to the 20th or 21st of April, depending on the date of the March equinox (exactly one month on the Gregorian calendar after the equinox). On the first, ninth and twelfth days of Ridván, work and school should be suspended. ""Ridván"" means paradise, and is named for the Garden of Ridván outside Baghdad, where Bahá'u'lláh stayed for twelve days"
"in which the community was saved during a battle. Other historic Purim celebrations in Jewish history have occurred in Yemen, Italy, Vilna and other locations. Adolf Hitler banned and forbade the observance of Purim. In a speech made on November 10, 1938 (the day after Kristallnacht), Julius Streicher surmised that just as ""the Jew butchered 75,000 Persians"" in one night, the same fate would have befallen the German people had the Jews succeeded in inciting a war against Germany; the ""Jews would have instituted a new Purim festival in Germany"". Nazi attacks against Jews were often coordinated with Jewish festivals."
"Day. The Association of Iran's Cultural and Natural Phenomena has been trying since 2006 to make Sepandarmazgan a national holiday on February 17, in order to replace the Western holiday. In Israel, the Jewish tradition of Tu B'Av has been revived and transformed into the Jewish equivalent of Valentine's Day. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Av (usually in late August). In ancient times girls would wear white dresses and dance in the vineyards, where the boys would be waiting for them (Mishna Taanith end of Chapter 4). Today, Tu B'Av is celebrated as a"
"Sepandārmazgān Sepandārmazgān () or Espandegān (اسپندگان) is an ancient Iranian festival with Zoroastrian roots dating back to the Achaemenid Empire, the first Persian Empire. This day is dedicated to ""Spənta Ārmaiti"" (Avestan for ""Holy Devotion"", ' in Middle Persian, ' or """"), the Amesha Spenta who is given the domain of ""earth"". The date of the festival as observed in the Sassanid era was on the 5th day of the month Spandarmad. When the name of the day and the month of the day were the same, a ""name-feast"" celebration was always done. According to the testimony of al-Biruni, in"
"day known as שושן פורים, Shushan Purim. This observance was expanded to ""walled cities"", which are defined as cities ""walled since the time of Joshua"". In practice, there are no Jews living in Shushan (Shush, Iran), and Shushan Purim is observed fully only in Jerusalem. Cities like Safed and Tiberias also partially observe Shushan Purim. Elsewhere, Shushan Purim is marked only by a small increase in festivity, including a prohibition on fasting, and slight changes in the liturgy. As a rule, the month of Nisan is considered to be one of extra joy. Traditionally, throughout the entire month, Tahanun is"
"Sizdah Be-dar Sizdah Bedar ( – ), (lit. Thirteen Outdoor) also known as Nature's Day ( – ), is an Iranian festival held annually on the thirteenth day of Farvardin (the first month of the Iranian calendar), during which people spend time picnicking outdoors. It marks the end of the Nowruz holidays in Iran. Sizdah Be-dar is celebrated on the thirteenth day of Nowruz, the Iranian New Year. It is celebrated by leaving houses to join nature, and spending the day outdoors. In Iranian Azerbaijan, it is called ""Sinzə Günü"" which means the ""thirteenth day."" A ritual performed at the"
"made an exception since the miracle occurred there. Today, there is debate as to whether outlying neighborhoods of Jerusalem are obliged to observe Purim on the 14th or 15th of Adar. Further doubts have arisen as to whether other cities were sufficiently walled in Joshua's era. It is therefore customary in certain towns including Hebron, Safed, Tiberias, Acre, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Beersheva, Beit She'an, Beit Shemesh, Gaza, Gush Halav, Haifa, Jaffa, Lod, Ramlah and Shechem to celebrate Purim on the 14th and hold an additional ""megillah"" reading on the 15th with no blessings. In the diaspora, Jews in Baghdad, Damascus, Prague,"
"widely performed, particularly in active Ashkenazi communities. A favorite form of a Purim Spiel for children is enacted in puppet shows with the Purim characters and their antics making the children laugh. The festival of Purim, which recalls the events of the Book of Esther, features characters whose identity, natures, or intent are ""hidden."" In fact, although the miraculous survival of the Persian Jews in the Book of Esther is due to God's intervention, God's name never appears in the Book of Esther. In the Book of Esther, the decree of the wicked Haman was annulled and the Jewish people"
"living in the ancient Persian Empire were saved from the edict of death and genocide instigated against them by Haman. Purim spiel A Purim spiel (also spelled ""Purimshpil"", , see also spiel) or Purim play is the term used to describe an ensemble of festive practices, usually a comic dramatization of the Book of Esther, the central text and narrative that describes what transpired on Purim and why it has become an important Jewish holiday. It may be an informal theatrical production, with costumed participants, often including children. In modern use, a Purim Spiel is also the use of satire"
"Sadeh Sadeh ( also transliterated as ""Sade""), is an Iranian festival that dates back to the first Persian Empire, Achaemenid Empire. ""Sadeh"" celebrates 50 days before Nowruz. Sadeh in Persian means ""hundred"" and refers to one hundred days and nights past the end of summer (or the beginning of long-winter known to start at the end of summer in ancient Iran). Sadeh is a mid winter festival that was celebrated with grandeur and magnificence in ancient Persia. It was a festivity to honor fire and to defeat the forces of darkness, frost, and cold. Legends have it that King Hushang,"
"rested on the 15th (Esther 9:20–22). In commemoration of this, it was decided that while the victory would be celebrated universally on Adar 14, for Jews living in Shushan, the holiday would be held on Adar 15. Later, in deference to Jerusalem, the Sages determined that Purim would be celebrated on Adar 15 in all cities which had been enclosed by a wall at the time of Joshua's conquest of the Land of Israel. This criterion allowed the city of Jerusalem to retain its importance for Jews, and although Shushan was not walled at the time of Joshua, it was"
"Seventeenth of Tammuz The Seventeenth of Tammuz ( """") is a Jewish fast day commemorating the breach of the walls of Jerusalem before the destruction of the Second Temple. It falls on the 17th day of the 4th Hebrew month of Tammuz and marks the beginning of the three-week mourning period leading up to Tisha B'Av. The day also traditionally commemorates the destruction of the two tablets of the Ten Commandments and other historical calamities that befell the Jewish people on the same date. The fast of Tammuz, according to Rabbi Akiva's interpretation, is the fast mentioned in the Book"
"of concentrated pressure and hostility against the community. Day to Mark the Departure and Expulsion of Jews from the Arab Countries and Iran The Day to Mark the Departure and Expulsion of Jews from the Arab Countries and Iran (Hebrew: יום לציון היציאה והגירוש של היהודים מארצות ערב ומאיראן) is a Memorial Day that is marked in Israel every year starting in 2014, on November 30 with the purpose of marking the departure and expulsion of Jews from Arab countries and Iran. November 30 is the date that was chosen since it is symbolically the day following November 29, a"