As air-raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv, hundreds of young Israelis gathered four floors underground in a mall parking shelter to observe Purim, despite a military ban on public events. The festival took on extra poignancy after Iran launched strikes in response to an Israeli–US attack. Costumed revellers heard the Megillah, booed Haman and danced, while others chose to sleep in shelters or follow online readings to comply with army orders.
Purim Underground: Tel Aviv Revellers Celebrate in Mall Air-Raid Shelters as Tensions With Iran Escalate
Israelis dressed in costumes gather in a parking lot used as an air raid shelter to celebrate the festive Purim (Ilia YEFIMOVICH)(Ilia YEFIMOVICH/AFP/AFP)
As dusk fell over the coastal city of Tel Aviv on Monday, air-raid sirens warned of incoming Iranian missiles, prompting residents to head for shelters just as the Jewish festival of Purim began.
Despite a military order banning public gatherings, hundreds of young people in costume gathered four floors below ground in the basement car park of a central Tel Aviv shopping mall. The scene mixed traditional ritual with the surreal: revellers listened to the Megillah, booed the villain Haman whenever his name was read, then danced and socialised in the cavernous shelter.
Purim Takes On New Resonance
Purim, which commemorates the Jewish people’s deliverance from a Persian plot as recounted in the Book of Esther, felt especially poignant this year after Iran launched strikes in response to what it described as an Israeli–US attack that began on Saturday. For many attendees, the festival’s themes of survival and defiance resonated with present fears and tensions.
Maxim Green, 28, said he learned about the car-park event through his synagogue’s WhatsApp group. “It’s really wild that this is happening during a war,” he said. “There are obvious echoes of the Purim story: an evil regime threatening the Jewish people.”
Among the costumes were cowboys, Peter Pan, Pikachu and a flight attendant holding a placard that read "Tel Aviv–Tehran, status: boarding". A rabbi led the Megillah reading while worshippers used groggers (noisemakers) to drown out Haman’s name, a longstanding Purim custom.
Ethan Cohen, a 26-year-old tech worker who had spent part of the day helping clear debris at the site of an Iranian missile impact, said he came to hear the Megillah and then celebrate. “I wanted to mark Purim. It’s a meaningful holiday, especially given what’s happening in the world right now,” he told AFP.
Life In Shelters
The mall’s underground parking area, which doubles as a shelter when projectiles are detected, was devoid of cars; many parking bays were filled with tents and mattresses. Some residents said they were choosing to sleep in shelters to avoid repeated nighttime rushes downstairs when sirens sound.
Anna Shilanski, 32, welcomed the communal spirit, setting up a tea station for others staying in the shelter. “I’m really glad people have a place to do this. Eventually people will sleep, but first we’ll have a cup of tea,” she said. As the night progressed, however, some partygoers tired of the low ceilings and left via the car-ramp exit for fresh air in the quiet streets.
Other underground levels of the mall also hosted smaller Purim gatherings. To comply with army restrictions while observing religious obligations, some rabbis arranged online video readings of the Megillah so people could follow remotely.
On the opposite side of the parking area, Anat Shamir, 70, a retiree sleeping on a mattress between painted parking lines, said she had grown used to staying underground and supported Israel’s actions against Iran despite the inconvenience. “We have to do it. Otherwise, they kill us,” she said.
The impromptu celebrations in shelters underscored how ordinary rituals and communal solidarity adapt under stress, blending religious custom with the practicalities of life during high alert.
Reporting by AFP
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