The Jewish festival of Purim - in pictures

Five-year-old Sara holds a Purim noisemaker, or gragger, during the Purim festival at the main synagogue in Bucharest, Romania. The Jewish holiday of Purim commemorates the Jews' salvation from genocide in ancient Persia, as recounted in the Book of Esther, which is read in synagogues Photograph: Vadim Ghirda/AP

Balloons and masks adorn the walls of the main synagogue in Bucharest as people attend the festival Photograph: Vadim Ghirda/AP

A man takes part in a parade during the Jewish holiday of Purim in the central Israeli city of Netanya Photograph: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images

Jewish children dressed in costumes for the occasion run in the Israeli town of Bnei Brak Photograph: Ariel Schalit/AP

A boy dressed in a special costume complete with moustache in a synagogue in Bnei Brak. Children disguising themselves is an allusion to the fact that the miracle of Purim was disguised in natural garments. Photograph: Nir Elias/Reuters

A girl performs during her annual Purim parade in Holon, near Tel Aviv, Israel Photograph: Nir Elias/Reuters

An Israeli soldier watches over a Jewish girl in the West Bank city of Hebron Photograph: Jim Hollander/EPA

Jewish children in the streets of Stamford Hill, north London, join in the celebrations Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

More children in fancy dress outside their house in Stamford Hill, home to Europe's largest Hasidic Jewish and Adeni Jewish community Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

Men from the Stamford Hill community dance and sing in fancy dress in the streets collecting money for charity, which tradition states should go to at least two individuals Photograph: Piero Cruciatti/Barcroft Media