Purim is celebrated on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar every year by the Jewish community all over the world.
It tells the story of how Jews survived a plot by the anti-semitic Haman, the prime minister of ancient Persia, present-day Iran, to kill them.
Purim is the remembrance of the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia from Haman's plot "to destroy, kill and annihilate all Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day," according to the Chabad.org.
Jews mobilised and killed several of their enemies on the 13th day of Adar and they rested and celebrated on the 14th day.
Purim falls on 8 March, 2012.
Take a look at the celebration of Purim in Isarael: