Students at Religious Zionist high school yeshivas, post-secondary yeshivas, and hesder yeshivas on Saturday night broke out in song and dance following the start of the war against Iran and the elimination of senior Iranian military and political figures. The events took place in a number of yeshivas throughout Israel, beginning at the conclusion of Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath).
At the Dror Yeshiva, the students celebrated the elimination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei, the world's longest-serving dictator, singing, "Haman was hanged on a gallows, and Khamenei was brought down." At the Merkaz Harav Yeshiva, students sang hasidic tunes expressing joy at the eliminations.
Approximately 150 students at Tel Aviv's Maaleh Eliyahu Yeshiva happily acquiesced to Ichilov Hospital's request, and on Saturday morning spent about three hours evacuating patients to the hospital's underground shelters.
At the Degel Yerushalayim and Rishon Lezion yeshivas, students marked the conclusion of Shabbat in bomb shelters, singing, "Layehudim haita orah vesimcha," a Purim song which means, "And the Jews had light and happiness." At the Holon Yeshiva, the students sang, "Amalek, get out of here." Students at the Nahariya Yeshiva sang a different Purim song, and at the Or Etzion Yeshiva, they sang a song of prayer for protection.
At the Shavei Shomron Yeshiva, the students jumped and danced to the sounds of a line from daily prayers, "Utzu eitza vetufar," a prayer that the plans of Israel's enemies will fall apart. Sderot Yeshiva students sang a Purim song, while Har Hamor students sang, "How happy is such a nation." Beit El Yeshvia students sang, "Layehudim haita orah vesimcha."
Around 370 students of the Or Etzion Bnei Akiva Yeshiva marked the Shabbat prior to Purim together. During the Shabbat, sirens began to sound and it became clear that Israel had struck Iran. The yeshiva dean then instructed that the celebrations focus on wiping out the memory of Amalek, and upon the conclusion of Shabbat, the students began to sing and dance in the bomb shelter. Following the Education Ministry's instructions, the students are expected to disperse to their homes in the coming hours.