The Talmud teaches us that "When Adar enters joy increases," but this year, Purim celebrations are characterized by the need to remain strong in the face of war, almost six months after October 7. On Friday, children came to their schools in costumes, and it was evident that the war influenced their choice.
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Sagiv Gdalyahu, a first-grade student at the On School in Tel Aviv, recovered from a severe illness he has been dealing with in recent years. Following intense treatment and three brain surgeries he underwent, he uses a walker and a wheelchair. He eagerly awaited the Purim party at school, for which he arrived with a specially tailored costume, a tank commander.
"I'm a tank commander, I'm a hero," he said as he settled in his tank on Friday. His mother, Mor, recounts that Sagiv asked to dress up as a tank commander following his grandfather Uri's example and succeeded in fulfilling the wish thanks to the Helek Foundation's Rolling Costumes project. "Sagiv is ecstatic," said Mor, "the costume also teaches about his courage in coping with cancer."
Keith Siegel has been held captive in Gaza by Hamas for the past 168 days. His grandchildren dressed up for Purim like most Jewish kids. Roy (9) chose to dress up as a race car driver, Yali (8) as a queen, and Hadar (5) as an Air Force pilot. They are waiting for their kidnapped grandfather to return with their grandmother Aviva, who was kidnapped with him from Kfar Aza and released. "Nothing will be the same until all the abductees return," says their daughter, Ilan. "Despite the situation, we try to let the children enjoy their holiday."
In the Shany household in Tzur Yitzhak, Liora made costumes for her daughters: Yuval (10) dressed up as a pirate, her twin Gaya as popcorn, and Tomer (4) chose Princess Anna from the movie "Frozen." But the family Purim picture is missing the family's father, Sgt. Maj. (res.) Adi Shani, 39, fell in battle in the northern Gaza Strip almost three months ago.
"Purim is a holiday that children love very much, so it's clear that the girls dress up and there is excitement alongside great longing," Liora shared, "we choose to continue living, alongside the pain and longing. There are moments of breakdown, we were a whole family, but we continue forward. Surrounded by a lot of love."
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The daughter of Dolev Yahud, who is still held in Gaza, dresses up for Purim along with many Israeli children
(Photo: Facebook)
Following the war, the Education Ministry issued a special directive to schools and kindergartens, asking them not to allow students to come in costumes "that may cause alarm." The directive emphasized that "a student in a costume that may threaten and instill fear, or hurt the feelings of others will be asked to change the costume." Several municipalities in Israel decided to cancel traditional events and hold more modest ones due to the sensitivity of wartime.