Purim pranks
{{Short description|Pranks during Purim}}
Purim pranks are pranks pulled during the celebration of Purim, an element of Purim humor.[https://yivoencyclopedia.org/article.aspx/Humor/Literary_Traditions "Humor. Literary Traditions"], YIVO
Some Purim pranks may be insulting and even harmful. There is a scholarship on what Halakha says on whether harm, insult (lashon hara), or injury – whether physical (towards property or a person) or verbal – are admissible in the course of Purim pranks or jokes.Yehuda Shurpin, [https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/2884125/jewish/Does-Jewish-Law-Allow-Pranks.htm "Does Jewish Law Allow Pranks?"], chabad.org There are various interpretations, however Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon comes to a conclusion that insults and minor physical harm are admissible as long they are sincere expressions of joy of mitzva and the harmful acts were not of evil intention; this kind of humor must be used with caution. Purim jokes are for the joy of mitzva, not for just jesting.Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon,[https://yivoencyclopedia.org/article.aspx/Humor/Literary_Traditions "Purim Pranks"], Yeshivat Har Etzion Purim spiels may include a good deal of insults and foul language directed both at biblical characters and modern real persons.
Notable public Purim pranks
In early December of 2023 posts were circulating in the media that Mick Jagger announced planning a concert of Rolling Stones in Israel. Reuters suggested that the rumors appear to be based on a February 24, 2013 spoof article at The Jewish Press website,[https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/fake-mick-jagger-quote-about-israel-concert-is-prank-article-2023-12-08/ Fact Check: Fake Mick Jagger quote about Israel concert is from ‘prank’ article], December 8, 2023 which at the bottom said: "This has been a Purim prank...".Yori Yanover, [https://web.archive.org/web/20210516095928/https://www.jewishpress.com/special-features/purim/defying-boycotts-jagger-stones-to-honor-israels-65th-birthday/2013/02/24/ Defying Boycotts, Jagger, Stones, to Honor Israel’s 65th Birthday], February 24, 2013
On February 24, 2021 (a day before Purim that year), The Jerusalem Post tweeted[https://twitter.com/Jerusalem_Post/status/1364744363595755520 The Jerusalem Post tweet #Purim #parody] that Benjamin Netanyahu could not get hold of Joe Biden for a month because the latter gave him a wrong number which replied "Hello, this is not the person you were trying to call. You’ve reached the rejection hotline. Unfortunately the person who gave you this rejection hotline number did not want you to have their real number."[https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/netanyahus-repeated-calls-to-biden-got-directed-to-rejection-hotline-660115 "Netanyahu's repeated calls to Biden got directed to ‘rejection hotline’"], The Jerusalem Post, February 26, 2021
In March 2019 Esther Voet, a columnist of a respected Dutch Jewish weekly NIW announced that she was moving to Israel, where "getting called a dirty Jew simply means I have to take a bath", complaining about the rise of anti-Semitism in the country. Later she announced that it was a Purim prank, but not earlier than her announcement made waves and she received notes of condolence and wishes of good luck from one camp and "good riddance" from the other.Cnaan Liphshiz, [https://www.timesofisrael.com/jewish-journalists-purim-prank-about-fleeing-anti-semitism-shocks-holland/ Jewish journalist’s Purim prank about fleeing anti-Semitism shocks Holland], March 19, 2019, Times of Israel
In March 2017, one of the annual Purim pranks pulled by the officials of the town of Psagot went too far: the social media got ahold of a letter on local official stationery that Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump would be visiting the town for Shabbos and Kushner would be delivering a dvar Torah in the local synagogue. Hundreds of people from the nearby places phoned the residents of Psagot to ask for a stay during the event, while leftist groups started arranging buses with protesters.Dov Benovadia, [https://hamodia.com/2017/03/19/purim-prank-far-kushners-werent-visiting-psagot/ "A Purim Prank Too Far? Kushners Weren’t Visiting Psagot, After All"], March 19, 2017, Hamodia
March 2014:
- The Jerusalem Post published a spoof article on how Israel, who didn’t even qualify for the 2014 World Cup (and which didn't even start yet), won the trophy.[https://www.jpost.com/Sports/Israel-overthrows-Germany-for-World-Cup-title-345406 Purim spoof: Israel overthrows Germany for World Cup title], The Jerusalem Post, March 16, 2014, by "Jroast Sports Staff"
- The Dutch media was hoaxed by news of Barack Obama planning to visit the Amsterdam office of the Dutch Jewish Welfare Organization (JMW). After realizing the scale of the commotion the joke caused, the authors, Jonet.nl, and JMW, issued a public apology.[https://www.jta.org/2014/03/17/culture/purim-hoax-has-dutch-media-looking-for-obama-in-all-the-wrong-places Purim hoax has Dutch media looking for Obama in all the wrong places]
- The Forward reported on the previously kept secret speech of George W. Bush to the "Messianic Jewish Bible Institute" about their mission of bringing "Jewish people into a personal relationship of faith with Yeshua the Messiah."[https://forward.com/culture/194088/what-george-w-bush-really-said-to-jews-for-jesus/ What George W. Bush Really Said to Jews for Jesus], The Forward, March 13, 2014, "By George W. Bush"
- There were reports about "The Beatles Jewish Period", which included songs, such as "The Shul on the Hill", "Hey Yew", "This Goy", etc.[https://www.jta.org/2014/03/12/ny/the-beatles-the-jewish-period THE BEATLES: THE JEWISH PERIOD], JTA, March 12, 2014
2010:
- The residents of Bnei Brak fell to the prank pulled by a construction company ZAKA, who announced that oil was about to be drilled there, with posters, equipment, and all, and hinted that the residents would be exempt from local property taxes.[https://vinnews.com/2010/02/21/israel-bnei-brak- "Israel – Bnei Brak Residents Fall for Purim Prank"]
- Ha'aretz made a spoof report that a law was passed by the Knesset to allow for sponsorship messages to be laser-beamed onto the Western Wall for a fee.[https://www.haaretz.com/2010-03-02/ty-article/israel-approves-plan-to-let-sponsors-beam-messages-onto-western-wall/0000017f-e6f6-dc7e-adff-f6ffffb40000 Israel Approves Plan to Let Sponsors Beam Messages Onto Western Wall], Ha'aretz, mArch 2, 2010, by "Hurim Pappy, Haaretz Correspondent"