Scenes from South Williamsburg's wild Purim party

Costumed kids and wine-soaked revelers filled the streets to celebrate the saving of the Jewish people, as told in the Book of Esther

By Scott Lynch

There are many ways to celebrate Purim, which, despite its rather grim backstory (the near annihilation of the Jewish people by Haman, an advisor to the Persian king Ahasuerus, until they were saved by Queen Esther, who was secretly a Jew) is one of the most joyous holidays on the Jewish calendar, a “festive day of merrymaking.”

Scott Lynch

Eating hamantaschen, those buttery, triangle-shaped cookies (named after the villain of the Purim story) filled with things like apricot, or poppy, or chocolate, is a personal favorite Purim ritual. Other traditions include raucous readings of the megillah, or the Scroll of Esther, in temple (worshipers are encouraged to boo whenever Haman is mentioned), drinking wine in abundance, giving gifts of food and money to friends and strangers, and parading around in costume as a salute to Queen Esther, who also was not what she seemed.

Scott Lynch

Yesterday South Williamsburg was filled with Purim revelers, as children roamed the streets in elaborate, sometimes wildly inappropriate get-ups, cadging dollar bills from their elders. There were packs of Yeshiva kids, dressed in their class’s colors, blasting Israeli techno from party buses and dancing in the street. And so much wine — for the men (and boys) only, to be clear. As the afternoon wore on it felt like Santacon out there at times.

Scott Lynch

“It’s Purim, we’re celebrating,” Williamsburg resident David Mendelowitz told Brooklyn Magazine. “Everybody’s dressed in costumes, getting drunk, we’re having parties, giving out money to the little kids, dancing around, having some fun with family. It’s a beautiful time.”

Here are a few more scenes of Tuesday’s merrymaking.