14 to 16 Adar 5785
Purim 2025
Purim began at sundown on Thursday 13 March, and ended at nightfall on Friday 14 March.
Shushan Purim falls on a Shabbat, so Jerusalem spreads it over three days, Friday to Sunday: Purim Meshulash.
Purim 2025 falls on Friday 14 March, and begins at sundown the evening before.
Times for Jerusalem and New York.
- Work stops
- Days of Purim when work goes on
- Begins at sundown
| Day | In Israel | Outside Israel |
|---|---|---|
| Thu 13 Mar13 Adar | Israel:Fast of Esther. Erev Purim. Fast begins 04:40. Fast ends 18:01 | Outside Israel:Fast of Esther. Erev Purim. Fast begins 05:50. Fast ends 19:34 |
| Fri 14 Mar14 Adar | Israel:Purim, except in Jerusalem. Candles 17:06 | Outside Israel:Purim. Candles 18:44 |
| Sat 15 Mar15 Adar | Israel:Shushan Purim, in Jerusalem, on Shabbat. Ends 18:23 | Outside Israel:Shabbat. Ends 19:44 |
| Sun 16 Mar16 Adar | Israel:Purim Meshulash, in Jerusalem | Outside Israel:A working day |
Candles 40 minutes before sunset in Jerusalem and 18 in New York. Shabbat and yom tov end when the sun is 8.5° below the horizon. The same times as our Shabbat pages. The Fast of Esther begins at dawn and ends 15 minutes after sunset in Israel, and when the sun is 7.083° below the horizon elsewhere.
Purim celebrates the rescue of the Jews of Persia told in the Book of Esther: costumes, a public Megillah reading, food gifts to friends, gifts to the poor, and a festive daytime meal.
What happens in Israel
Costumes everywhere for a week, street parties, and the Adloyada parades. Jerusalem celebrates a day after the rest of the country, so many people do both.
How it is kept
- Hearing Megillat Esther read, with noise at every mention of Haman
- Mishloach manot: sending food gifts to friends
- Matanot la'evyonim: gifts to at least two people in need
- Costumes, carnivals and a festive daytime meal
What people say
"Chag Purim sameach" or "Freilichen Purim"
On the table
Hamantaschen, the triangular filled cookies, and a festive seudah with wine.
Purim moves by up to a month from one year to the next, but never leaves its season.
The Hebrew calendar follows the moon and adds a month seven years in nineteen. Here is Purim in every year this site has computed.
| Year | Begins at sundown | Ends at nightfall |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Sat 23 MarSaturday 23 March | Sun 24 MarSunday 24 March |
| 2025 | Thu 13 MarThursday 13 March | Fri 14 MarFriday 14 March |
| 2026 | Mon 2 MarMonday 2 March | Tue 3 MarTuesday 3 March |
| 2027 | Mon 22 MarMonday 22 March | Tue 23 MarTuesday 23 March |
| 2028 | Sat 11 MarSaturday 11 March | Sun 12 MarSunday 12 March |
| 2029 | Wed 28 FebWednesday 28 February | Thu 1 MarThursday 1 March |
| 2030 | Mon 18 MarMonday 18 March | Tue 19 MarTuesday 19 March |
14 other Jewish holidays fall in 2025.
The next 8 in the order they fall. Each has its own page for 2025.
Thursday 13 February
Tu BiShvat
The new year of the trees. Tree planting in Israel and eating the fruits of the land.
Sunday 13 April
Passover (Pesach)
The festival of freedom, marking the Exodus from Egypt. Seder nights, matzah, and no chametz for eight days (seven in Israel).
Thursday 24 April
Yom HaShoah
Holocaust Remembrance Day. In Israel a two-minute siren brings the country to a standstill.
Wednesday 30 April
Yom HaZikaron
Israel's Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and victims of terror, the day before Independence Day.
Friday 16 May
Lag BaOmer
The 33rd day of the Omer count. Bonfires, weddings and celebrations at Mount Meron.
Monday 2 June
Shavuot
The festival of receiving the Torah at Sinai. All-night learning and dairy foods. Two days in the diaspora, one in Israel.
Sunday 3 August
Tisha B'Av
Fast day mourning the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem. If the 9th of Av falls on Shabbat, the fast is observed on Sunday.
Frequently asked questions
When is Purim 2025?+
Purim 2025 begins at sundown on Thursday 13 March and ends at nightfall on Friday 14 March. Jewish days start in the evening, so the first full day is Friday 14 March.
How long is Purim?+
1 day. Purim falls on 14 Adar in most places. Walled cities from the time of Joshua, Jerusalem chief among them, keep Shushan Purim on 15 Adar instead, one day later.
Is Purim different in Israel?+
Purim falls on 14 Adar in most places. Walled cities from the time of Joshua, Jerusalem chief among them, keep Shushan Purim on 15 Adar instead, one day later.
What happens in Israel on Purim?+
Costumes everywhere for a week, street parties, and the Adloyada parades. Jerusalem celebrates a day after the rest of the country, so many people do both.
What do you say on Purim?+
The standard greeting is "Chag Purim sameach" or "Freilichen Purim".