Shushan Purim

Culture of origin: Jewish · Cultural

Holiday sources: Iran · Israel · Judaism

Purim recalls how Queen Esther and Mordecai saved the Jews of the Persian Empire from the vizier Haman, as told in the Book of Esther. It is kept on 14 Adar, but cities walled since the time of Joshua keep it on the 15th, because in the story the fighting in the walled city of Shushan went on a day longer. Today only Jerusalem keeps Purim on the 15th alone.