Jerusalem hotels, restaurants, attractions, tours & events. Helping since 2008

Purim is here! While in most of Israel, people get their masks on Wednesday night, Jerusalem and other walled cities wait until Thursday night to officially get the party started. The holiday is the one day a year when everybody in west Jerusalem, from ultra-Orthodox Meah Shearim to the youthful, secular city center, goes absolutely nuts. From traditional Megilla readings, family oriented events and activities at museums across the city, to late night partying at Colony and HaTza'atzua, to special combo deals on an overnight hotel stay and holiday themed tours, there's something for everyone to go wild over on Purim this year in the nation's capital.

Just because the holiday officially ends on Friday night doesn't mean the party is over. The city is still chock-full of non-Purim related culture events happening this week, as every week. Here are our top picks.

• Celebrate Shushan Purim at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center. A festive reading of Megillat Esther on Thursday night in cooperation with the Tzohar organization. Guests will receive a decorative copy of the megillah and children will receive mishloach manot gift bags. Come in costume and don't forget the noise makers!
  
  
• Up for more partying? Bars across town are hosting Purim parties complete with live music, DJs, dancing, and specials on alcohol, of course. Test your tolerance level at Spaghettim, enjoy Colony's own "Jerusalem Stone," followed by DJs spinning 80s rock, get down at HaTza'atzua's wild dance party, and rock until you drop at Blaze Bar's special Purim party lineup.
  
  
• Got kids? Children are invited to a festive Purim celebration at the Jerusalem Mall (Malcha), featuring free performances by favorite kid entertainers Miki, Yuval Hamevulbal, and Dod Chaim. In addition, there will be face painting, hair braiding, gift giveaways, temporary tattoos, photo booths (extra cost), and many more surprises.
  
  Alice in Wonderland visits Mini Israel over Purim, and everyone is invited to the world's most famous tea party! Play cricket with the queen, bake hamantaschen with the duchess, attend the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, and meet Alice and the White Rabbit. Don't be late!
  
  Over Purim, experience bubble magic with Tom Noddy at the Bloomfield Science Museum, attend performances and participate in arts and crafts workshops at the Museum of Islamic Art, celebrate fantasy, color and movement at the Tower of David, and enjoy costumes, performances and arts and crafts at the Israel Museum.
  
  
• Visiting Jerusalem? Enjoy Purim in Jerusalem without emptying your wallet. Beit Shmuel is offering an unbeatable Purim special: which includes an overnight stay at Beit Shmuel's hotel and guesthouse and guided tours for a discounted price. Guests who register for tours will receive a 20% discount on a night's stay and breakfast at the hotel.
  
  
• On Saturday night, rock duo Oren Barzilay & Shai Lahav (Dr Kasper's Rabbit Show) perform new arrangements of songs by Yair Rosenbloom, the popular and prolific composer, including Besimlah aduma (In a red dress) and Heye li haver, haye li ah (be my friend, be my brother), at this week's Saturday Night Israeli musical lineup at Beit Avi Chai.
  
  
• Cuba! Salsa! Catch a lively performance by Igor Arijas Baro (Cuba) this Monday at the Gerard Bechar center. The show takes place as part of "Shamayim, Creative Music Management & Production"'s Hot Jazz program: a series of jazz concerts with performances feauturing local as well as international jazz musicians from all over the world.
  
  
  As always, there's plenty more to check out at our full events section.