Jerusalem marks festive holiday of Purim in shadow of war

By MELANIE LIDMAN
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Tens of thousands of people have celebrated the Jewish holiday of Purim in Jerusalem, though the traditionally boisterous celebrations have been muted this year by the Israel-Hamas war. Although many cities across Israel decided to cancel their Purim celebrations due to the ongoing conflict, Jerusalem held a traditional Purim parade for the first time in 42 years. Participants said celebrating Purim was complex given the ongoing war, but it was important to “grab joy” wherever possible.