Hundreds celebrate Purim at attacked J'lem yeshiva

Religious Zionist members gather at Mercaz Harav rabbinical seminary to observe holiday mitzvahs 'despite the pain'
Ynet

Hundreds of members of the Religious Zionist Movement celebrated Purim under heavy security Saturday night at the Mercaz Harav rabbinical seminary in Jerusalem, which lost eight of its students in a terror attack carried out by a Palestinian resident of the capital two weeks ago.

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The celebrators, who arrived at the yeshiva in costume, danced in circles to hasidic renditions of traditional Purim songs.

During the festivities a drunken student of the yeshiva turned to the officers on hand and asked that they "better protect the establishment in case of another terror attack".

Another student said, "Despite the horrible attack and the ensuing pain, terrorists have not and will not prevent us from observing the holiday mitzvahs."

Tuvia Paz, one of the directors at Mercaz Harav, told Ynet "the grief and the harsh blow that we have suffered do not contradict tonight's (celebrations), although it is clear to everyone that this Purim is different.