Americans sometimes refer to this Jewish holiday as "the Jewish Mardi Gras."
The 15th of Av
Purim
Passover
Rosh Hashanah
Purim. Usually occurring in March, it is among the most joyous, fun-filled Jewish celebrations and customarily includes carnival-like celebrations. The holiday celebrates Queen Esther, a secretly Jewish woman married to a Persian king, who risked her life to intervene and prevent the massacre of the Jewish people living in Persia. The Book of Esther is read aloud on Purim.