Tel Aviv Shabbat Project

Adloyada Purim Parades

The Adloyada Parades These parades are by far the most celebrated events in Israel for the Purim holiday as well as the most historic. The first parade took place in Tel Aviv in 1912 and from that point on have been a staple of the Purim holiday in Israel. The Amaraic phrase that gave birth to the name Adloyada is “Ad Delo Yada” roughly translated as “until no one longer knows.” Traditionally you must get so drunk on Purim that you can no longer tell the difference between the names Haman and Mordecai. These names look completely different in the Megillah so you have got to be pretty wasted. The Adloyada parades not only consist of people but some fairly elaborate floats. In the past, these floats paid homage to the history and culture of Israel. Some designs included giant Ben Gurion heads reading Israel’s declaration of independence or the twelve tribes of Israel. Today, the floats reflect a more modern touch of Israeli culture. The criteria are outlandish, colorful, and loud. DJs and musicians from across the nation come to spin their records and blast their horns from atop the floats. The overarching theme is diversity and difference, which can be seen in each and every float and every Purim costume.