Clowns, crowns and kimonos: Jewish children put on a colourful fancy dress show in London to celebrate the ancient festival of Purim
- Purim commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from a massacre in Persia 2,500 years ago
- The Festival of Lots, as it is also known, is marked by donating to the poor and with a large carnival
- The carnival encourages the Jewish community to dress in costumes and celebrate in the street
- Bright colours and costumes filled the streets of Stamford Hill, north London, today
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Jewish people in London and around the world have been celebrating the festival of Purim today.
Dating back 2,500 years, the ancient festival is a celebration of the time a plot to massacre all the Jews in Persia was overthrown.
The celebration commemorates the day Esther, Queen of Persia, saved the Jewish people from execution by Haman, the advisor to the Persian king
There have been large, carnival-like parades in Stamford Hill, London and other Jewish communities celebrating Purim, which usually falls each March.
Children have taken to the street, showing off the costumes they’ve made for the holiday. The procession then ends at a synagogue, where families gather to hear a Rabbi re-tell the ancient story.
The streets of Stamford Hill in north London were filled with the sound of celebration as young Jewish boys and girls celebrated the annual festival of Purim.
Bright colours are very much typical of a Purim carnival as children don costumes and head to their local synagogue. Once there families will hear the ancient story of Purim, as it appears in the book of Esther
This young man’s costume in Stamford Hill couldn’t help but poke a little fun during the festivities. Members of the Jewish community celebrating Purim are encouraged to get creative with their costumes and show off what they have made
There’s no dress code or instructions for youngster’s costumes. As this picture outside a home in north London shows today, they can dress as characters like Willy Wonka, as police officers, or something completely different
Penguins and pirates filled Stamford Hill’s streets today alongside their more traditionally-dressed parents as they head to the synagogue. It’s all to celebrate the foiling of a plot to massacre Jews in Persia 2,500 years ago
Food is an important part of Purim. Jewish people often eat prune hamantaschen or ‘Haman’s ears’ – named after the Persian vizier that plotted to massacre them in the 5th century BC. Youngsters can be seen carrying their own food in Stamford Hill today
These three were looking sweet as they headed to their synagogue in Stamford Hill. The fanta-stically costumed trio certainly didn’t fall flat as they joined their neighbours today
Once again bright colours help show off the celebratory atmosphere found on any street during Purim, here two boys donned kimonos and cowboy hats in Stamford Hill
These three were definitely feeling the fun side of Purim on the streets of Stamford Hill today. Around the world thousands of Jewish people will take to the streets in costumes of their own
Whether they’re dressed in matching costumes like these boys and girls, or something unique to themselves, the Purim carnival brings local Jewish communities together in religious celebration, as can be seen here in Stamford Hill
This bus top parade in London helped move the Purim procession to the synagogue while boys on board waved to passers-by
This Jewish family dressed their little girls as medieval princesses as they walk to the synagogue in London
Jewish men and boys sang and danced during the Purim celebrations in London today
The Purim celebration doesn’t only take place outdoors. Here Jewish men and boys from London eat, drink and dance to celebrate the foiling of a plot to kill all the Jews in Persia 2,500 years ago
Jewish children dance inside a house as they celebrate the annual holiday of Purim in Stamford Hill in London
Jewish children dance on the top of a red London bus as they celebrate the annual holiday of Purim
Jewish children look out from a bus as they celebrate the annual holiday of Purim in Stamford Hill on Tuesday
Jewish children dance on a bus as they celebrate the annual holiday of Purim in Stamford Hill in London
Jewish children dance in the street behind a decorated bus as they celebrate Purim
Jewish children dance on a bus as they celebrate the annual holiday of Purim in Stamford Hill in London
Jewish children dressed in brightly-coloured outfits walk down the street during the annual Jewish holiday of Purim
A Jewish family walks down the street during the annual Jewish holiday of Purim on March 10