Joint Holi-Purim celebrations in Israel cancelled amid rising tensions

Jerusalem, Mar 2 (PTI) A planned joint Holi-Purim celebration at the Jaffa Port in Israel has been cancelled due to escalating tensions in the region.

The event was scheduled to take place on Wednesday.

"The Jaffa Port (authorities) informed us that due to the situation and the Home Front Command’s directives, they are cancelling the planned Purim-Holi events for this week," Indian Jewish Heritage Centre (IJGC) Chairman Rafi Bhonker said in a written communication to community members.

The event was being organised by the IJHC and the Cochin Jewish Heritage Centre in collaboration with the Indian Embassy in Israel.

The celebrations were meant to highlight the cultural similarities between the Hindu festival of Holi and the Jewish festival of Purim, which fall around the same time of the year - a parallel earlier noted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his address to the Israeli Parliament (Knesset).

The event was to also exhibit the remarkable legacy of Jam Sahib Digvijaysinhji Ranjitsinhji Jadeja, the Maharaja of Jamnagar, who had sheltered over 1,000 Polish orphans, including Jewish children, during WWII.

Last year, the Indian Jewish community unveiled a statue of the Maharaja to honour his humanitarian contribution.

Artefacts showcasing the rich history of the four Indian Jewish communities -- Bene Israel, the Cochinis, the Baghdadis and the Bnei Menashe -- were also to be displayed during the celebrations.

These included rare ketubot (marriage contracts) from the Cochin Jewish community, reflecting centuries of intricate artistry, faith, and cultural continuity.

Holi, also known as the ‘festival of colours’, and the Jewish festival of Purim, when people wear colourful costumes, share many commonalities.

Both festivals mark the victory of good over evil, celebrate the arrival of spring and the end of winter, and are celebrated outdoors where communities gather to dance, sing, eat and have fun in a spirit of togetherness.

Students at the Hebrew University had also planned a joint celebration of the festivals, but decided to defer it due to the situation. HM SCY SCY