Scores of Jewish children partaking in the Purim holiday tradition of dressing up in costume are putting on Batman capes and masks in a heartfelt tribute to Israeli hostages, Ariel and Kfir Bibas, who were murdered in Gaza alongside their mother, Shiri. 

The Gotham city superhero became synonymous with the plight of the two Bibas boys after a picture of the abducted family wearing matching Batman pajamas tugged at the public’s heartstrings and became one of the most widely shared pictures of the foursome. Ariel, who was just 4 years old when he was slain by Hamas terrorists, was an avid lover of the fictional character and dressed up as Batman for what would be his last Purim in 2023. 

In April of last year, 50 Batman writers, artists, and editors wrote a letter petitioning Egypt and Qatar to facilitate the release of the Bibas family, whose status, at that point, was not known. It was later reported by Israeli officials that Hamas terrorists killed the two red-headed brothers “with their bare hands” in November 2023. Shiri’s husband, Yarden Bibas, who was separated from his family in captivity, was released by Hamas in February as part of the ceasefire agreement.

Now, on the first Purim since the children and Shiri were buried, entire school classes are showing up in batman capes and masks in their honor. Fifth grade students at the Nitzanim School in Ramat Gan posed in their black and yellow capes for a picture that was shared in Israeli media outlet, Ynet News. The Israeli government shared on TikTok a video of students at the Ehud Manor School in Or Yehud celebrating Purim in Batman masks. Dozens of other images and videos have circulated online. 

One costume shop owner in Jerusalem decided to sell the regalia for a much-discounted price. “This is a pure loss from my own pocket, but I want to do it,” the store’s owner told the Jerusalem Post. “I see in all the comments that there’s a huge desire to dress up as Batman for Purim in honor of the Bibas family. So I got masks — one shekel each — just so TikTok on Purim will be filled with this mask.”

Even some adults are getting in on the tribute. British Jewish comedian, Zach Margs, showed off his Purim costume in a post on Instagram, declaring that he was wearing “Batman for Bibas.” He wrote in a heartfelt message to his 176,000 followers: “Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas should have been here, dressing up, laughing, celebrating. Instead, they were taken from us in the worst way. They loved Batman, so today, I wear this for them.”  

The holiday commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from a death decree during the Persian Empire and is commemorated through reading the Book of Esther — a book in the third section of the Old Testament that details the miraculous story — exchanging gift baskets, and dressing up in costume. 

The Bibas family responded to the outpouring of support in a message shared on their Facebook Page. “The heart missed a beat twice today. Once, when we woke up to a morning without new photos of Ariel and Kfir dressed up for Purim and the second time when we saw all the incredible gestures on the streets of Israel,” the family wrote. 

They continued: “Time after time during the last almost year and a half and especially during the last few weeks, you have shown us that Ariel and Kfir will never leave us. They are in the heart of the nation and will always remain so. Those who were a symbol of Hamas’ cruelty, are now a symbol of unity and hope for the people of Israel.”

Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir were buried near their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz on February 26. Although the funeral was closed to the public, a funeral procession that began in a nearby city drew tens of thousands of Israelis to the streets to honor the slain civilians. Many brought orange balloons or wore orange clothes as an homage to the Bibas boys’  bright orange hair.