The city of Bnei Brak is located just east of Tel Aviv but it couldn’t be more different than the “non-stop city”. Bnei Brak is a center of Ultra Orthodox Judaism and the majority of the population are Haredi Jews. Once a year, on Purim, the staid city residents fulfill the custom of getting tipsy — till they can’t tell the difference between “cursed Haman” and “blessed Mordechai”. Photographer Orna Naor was on hand to capture the wild festivities.
To the south, on the campus of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, exchange students from India requested and received permission to celebrate the spring festival of Holi — where powdered colors are thrown — as part of the on-campus Purim carnival. Photographer Dani Machlis wrapped his camera in protective plastic as things got colorful.
