When the party moves to the bomb shelter

"Can someone tell me already if I should go buy costumes or canned food?" was a popular meme circulating on Israeli social media last week.

Everyone knew war was imminent, but younger Israelis, in particular, were not ready to stop planning parties in the lead-up to Purim, and this week some found a way to celebrate even if they had to do it in a bomb shelter or safe room.

While many Purim parties have been rescheduled to Yom Ha’atzmaut, Jewish tradition says a festival is never really cancelled and Israeli culture has clearly absorbed that ethos.

Under emergency regulations, only essential gatherings are permitted but many Israelis need to get together at public or communal shelters because only new or large homes have safe rooms.

Given this reality, Israelis found a way around the regulations to party while staying safe. A network of gatherings at local shelters or homes with safe rooms sprang up. People sent WhatsApp invitations to friends, or issued an open invitation through a website such as Miklat Open Fest, for everything from megillah readings to raves. Most hosts capped numbers to ensure that there was shelter space for everyone.

Event organiser Karin Lahyani, 34, from northern Israel, had sold more than 1000 tickets for her Purim rave when the event was cancelled because of the war.