Purim: What is the Jewish festival and how is it celebrated?

Kids get their faces painted to join in the Purim festivities

Every year Jewish people from all over the world wear fancy dress to celebrate the beginning of the festival of Purim.

The festival takes place on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar.

This year, Purim falls on the night of Monday 6 March, to the evening of Tuesday 7 March.

Keep reading to find out more about the festival and how it is celebrated by Jewish people.

What is Purim?

Children wear fancy dress to celebrate Purim

Purim is a festival when Jews remember Esther, who was the Queen of Persia more than 2,000 years ago.

She was Jewish but her husband, the King, didn't know this. The King's chief minister was Haman, a man who hated the Jews.

Esther's uncle would not bow down to Haman. It made him so angry that he plotted to have all the Jews killed, and he drew lots - a way of randomly picking something from many options - to decide on the date. The Persian word for lot was Purim.

Anyone who went to see the King without permission was put to death, but Esther was brave enough to tell her husband about her religion and she stood up for her people.

The King forgave Esther, Haman was punished and the Jews were saved.

How do Jewish people celebrate Purim?

People march in parades in different cities around the world

The full story of Esther is read aloud at the synagogue - a house of prayer for Jewish people. Every time Haman's name is mentioned the children stamp their feet, boo, hiss and shake rattles in an attempt to drown out the sound of his name.

After the service, some children dress up and act out the story but they also give gifts to their friends and to the poor.

The most well known food eaten during Purim are pastries called Hamantaschen, which are filled with poppy seeds. They eat seeds because Esther only ate seeds while she lived in the King's palace.

This festival is important to Jews as they are remembering God's power to save them and that good overcomes evil. They can apply this teaching to their own lives and actions.

Are you celebrating Purim? What are you doing to mark the festival? Let us know in the comments!