In Purim of 2023, little Ariel Bibas, 3, dressed up as Batman. His baby brother, Kfir, joined along. Like many little boys, the toddler was obsessed with the hooded superhero from the fictional Gotham City, joyfully running in the streets of his home of Nir Oz, an Israeli kibbutz, his black cape billowing behind him. His parents even got matching Batman pajamas for the four of them in which they took a sweet family selfie.
On Purim of 2024, Ariel Bibas was 4 — the age he would remain forever. His friend and next door neighbor from Nir Oz, Yoav, saved a Batman costume for him. When Ariel didn’t come, Yoav donned it himself and said he would fly into Gaza to save his friend, who was kidnapped on October 7 from his home along with his mother, Shiri, and little Kfir. After his kidnapping, writers of the comic book expressed their support for his return and people across the world held Batman marches to bring him home.
On Purim of 2025, Ariel Bibas has been laid to rest in Israel. At his funeral last month, his body was buried with his baby brother and his mother, as thousands of Israelis, some even dressed in Batman costumes, walked them on their final journey.
And this Thursday, on what is a joyful holiday that celebrates Jews surviving persecution in ancient Persia, the streets of Israel, as well as entire classrooms across the country, are black, yellow and orange. They are filled with young people and teachers wearing Batman costumes, often holding orange balloons, the kind people flew into the air in honor of the redheaded Bibas boys. Young kids across the country kept the spirit of the Bibas kids alive, running around in their capes, flying balloons, singing songs.
Purim this year, with so many hostages still in Gaza and the war still looming, feels bittersweet, and the proliferation of Batman costumes are a reminder of that. Aside from Batman, Israelis have dressed up like returned hostage Emily Damari, bandaging their fingers to echo hers that were shot on October 7. Others added a mustache on their Batman look to honor slain grandfather Shlomo Mansur.
The efforts to dress up like Batman were both organic and organized. “This Purim we are all Batman,” one Israeli mother posted on social media in a now viral post. One importer offered the costumes for a mere 10 shekels (less than $3), sharing on social media, “We’re all Bibases this year. May their memories be for a blessing.” Even the Israeli page for the DIY cutting machine Cricut shared a way to easily make a Batman costume with their tool.
Across the country, entire classes dressed together as Batman. Some put orange hearts on their outfits. Some marched in their school’s Purim parade. Multiple classes played and sang the song “La’Uf,” (“To Fly”) by former Israeli Eurovision contestant Harel Skaat. “I can fly without knowing how to fly,” he sings. “I am a child of the sky/And I learned to fly.” The lyrics feel especially poignant since Skaat played Peter Pan at the annual Israeli children music and dance show, the Festigal, a character who wants to stay a child forever. Now, the song is played in honor of a child who will forever remain 4, who we hope is looking at us from above, smiling.
Unfounded rumors circulated saying that the Bibas family didn’t want people to dress up like Batman in Ariel’s honor, but this morning, they shared how moved they were to see all those tributes.
“The heart missed a beat twice today,” the Bibas family wrote on their official Instagram account. “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. 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.” They called for all those people to keep fighting for the return of the remaining hostages.
They also shared pictures of the many school classrooms and kids across the country who dressed like Batman, sharing a line that Ariel often told his loved ones, which his father, Yarden Bibas, quoted at his funeral: “We love you most in the world, always in the world.”
Here are some pictures and videos of classes honoring Ariel with their costumes:
@educ.gov.il תלמידי בית הספר אהוד מנור באור יהודה התחפשו לבאטמן, גיבור העל האהוב על אריאל ביבס ז”ל #פורים #תחפושת #פורים2025 #ביתספר #משרדהחינוך
