Yom Tov guide
Purim in Jerusalem, on the fifteenth.
A walled city from the time of Yehoshua, a Shushan Purim that overflows every street, Megillah readings at the Kotel. Shushan Purim 5787 falls on Wednesday, March 24, 2027 (regular Purim in the rest of the world is Tuesday, March 23). Jerusalem Purim is the most intense Purim in the world. Here's how we plan it.
The 14th vs the 15th.
Jerusalem keeps Purim on the 15th of Adar (Shushan Purim) because it's a walled city from Yehoshua's time. The rest of Israel and chutz-la'aretz keep the 14th. Visitors bridging both days need a psak from their rav on which day they keep and whether they keep both. Our coordination handles either answer — if your rav says both, we align meals and Megillah readings with both dates.
What actually happens.
Night of the 15th: Megillah readings in every shul, the Kotel reading is packed and powerful. Morning of the 15th: Megillah, then the matanot la\'evyonim deliveries that take hours because every corner of Geulah has collection bins and every pocket of Jerusalem has a tzedakah organization running their Purim drive. Midday: mishloach manos across the city; families walking door-to-door; yeshivos holding their chagigos in the streets.
Late afternoon: the seudah begins. Hotels run formal seudos with divrei Torah and mehadrin-format live music. The seudah typically runs past nightfall. Many families take kids to a yeshiva chagiga afterwards — Mir's Purim chagiga is legendary, BMG Yerushalayim runs one of the louder ones, BJJ is more controlled.
Related reading.
Planning a Purim trip?
Tell us the party, the dates, and whether you need Megillah-proximity, yeshiva-chagiga walking distance, or a quieter hotel. We match hotel to trip shape.
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