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In Israel, Even The Dogs Dress Up For Purim

In Tel Aviv, Purim is not just a holiday for humans. Plenty of dogs are decked out in fashionable costumes.

One dog I saw was dressed like a lion. The dog-lion attracted claps and whistles from passersby. Another more feminine dog wore a headband with a pink sequined bow, and still another had an elaborate sweater that a human had clearly spent plenty of time knitting.

In the days before the holiday, stores advertised that they had costumes for dogs—and clearly, the advertising worked.

A sign advertising dog costumes for sale. Image by Aviya Kushner

The costume parade started on the Thursday before Purim, and was still going strong on Friday. At the entrance to Shuk HaCarmel, or Carmel Market, dogs and humans listened as a costumed grandmother-and-granddaughter duo sang Purim songs to the assembled.

A grandmother and granddaughter dup perform while costumed humans and animals look on.

The message — a Happy Purim to all.

Aviya Kushner is The Forward’s language columnist and the author of The Grammar of God (Spiegel &Grau). Follow her on Twitter at @AviyaKushner

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