Colourful celebrations continued in Jerusalem today where ultra-orthodox Jewish men gathered to dance in honour of the the traditional festival of Purim. Revellers and children also met in the streets of the city dressed up as kings and queens, clowns, animals and even superheroes to celebrate. Yesterday saw similar festivities sweep across the world with thousands of Jewish families in London also celebrating the event in style. The holiday commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia after a beautiful queen, Esther, foiled a royal advisor's plot to annihilate all the country's Jews in just one day. It is traditionally marked with parades, the giving of presents, and by observers sporting a host of colourful costumes which traditionally take their cue from the Biblical story of Esther, but can also include anything from sailors to Superman, as these photographs taken today in Stamford Hill, north London, show. Celebrations marked the holy day across the globe, and even the wintry weather in New York couldn't dampen spirits as families made their way to synagogues through the snow. Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men dance in a Yashiva (religious school) in Jerusalem's ultra-orthodox neighborhood of Mea Sharim today . The ultra-Orthodox Jewish men were pictured prancing around a stage while carrying each other on their shoulders today . The carnival-like Purim holiday is celebrated with parades and costume parties, as seen in Jerusalem today, every year . An ultra-orthodox Jewish boy wearing fancy dress was pictured smoking in the street of Jerusalem's neighborhood of Mea Sharim today . Two revellers in revealing costumes take a break from the street as they celebrate the traditional festival of Purim in Jerusalem today . The annual holiday commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia and is celebrated all over the world . World party: Two Israeli woman pictured in Jerusalem today, where thousands of people paraded through the streets in costumes . Jewish children were seen dressed as kings and queens, clowns, animals and even superheroes as part of the annual celebration . Three ultra-orthodox Jewish children dress up for Purim in Jerusalem today . Two girls wearing matching white wedding dresses take part in the festivities in the Israeli capital city this afternoon . The festival is to commemorate the foiling of a plot to exterminate Jews in the ancient Persian empire 2,500 years ago . A young girl leans out of the window to take in the sights in Jerusalem today during Purim Festival celebrations . The colourful costumes traditionally take their cue from the Biblical story of Esther, the beautiful queen who foiled the plot against the Jews . A young child hovers in a a the entrance to an alleyway dressed as a king while a masked man passes by in Jerusalem today . Two young siblings in Stamford Hill, North London, dress up as colourful clowns as they mark the Jewish festival of Purim today . A string of children all in fancy dress take to the streets of north London as they celebrate the ancient festival, which commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire . A boy in wolf costume walks through a snowstorm in Brooklyn, New York, as part of the Purim celebrations in the city . In New York the snowy weather could not dampen spirits for this man as he made his way to a synagogue in Brooklyn . A Jewish boy dresses up as Uncle Sam as he dashes through the snow on his way to his synagogue in Brooklyn today . The day commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire where a plot had been formed to destroy them. The celebrations are snowy in Brooklyn, New York . A Jewish boy masquerades as an old man as he makes his was through a snowstorm as he prepares to celebrate Purim in Brooklyn . A man escorts his children through Stamford Hill, with his sons dressed up as a police officer and a fireman, and his daughter as a clown . The carnival-like holiday is marked by parades and costume parties with participants dressing up in masks and fancy dress outfits in London . Two little girls dress up in matching outfits as they mark the festival, while this child has shunned a more traditional costume to dress as a panda for the day to celebrate the festival in north London . A panda was also the costume of choice for this young boy as he and his friends happily dashed down the street in Stamford Hill . This young boy has a regal air in London as he poses up for a picture to show off his splendid fur-trimmed cape . The Jewish holiday Purim commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in the ancient Persian Empire from a plot intended to wipe them out. The story, which is recorded in the Biblical Book of Esther, tells the tale of how an advisor to King Ahasuerus named Haman planned to kill all the Jews, only for his wicked plot to be thwarted by the king's wife Esther and her adoptive father Mordecai. Haman had selected a day on which he would annihilate the entire Jewish population and had sent out a decree bearing the King's seal, ordering that every Jewish man, woman and child. But Esther - who had been chosen as Ahasuerus's wife by taking part in a beauty contest and concealing the fact she was Jewish - later convinced the King to send out a new decree allowing the Jews to rise up and defend themselves - thus saving their lives. 'It is commemorated with a day of feasting with presents of food and charity given to the poor,' a member of staff at The Board of Deputies of British Jews told MailOnline. 'The story is read out in synagogues and it really is a carnival. It's a very happy time. 'Children traditionally get dressed up as Esther, or the King but they can wear anything they like really. And in the synagogue they are given football rattles and noisemakers to drown out Haman's name so it's great fun. 'People go from house to house to give presents of food, such as cake or biscuits and something to drink like wine or juice. 'It's the best time for children because they can go to the synagogue, get dressed up and have lots of fun.' These young children from Stamford Hill look older than their years as they dress up for Purim today in Stamford Hill . Families often go from house to house, giving out gifts of food such as cake and sweets to their friends and neighbours. Here at Stamford Hill, north London, a man cycles while the child wears a colourful costume . The holy day commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia during the 5th century BC when Royal adviser Haman plotted 'to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day'. Pictured are two girls in fancy dress in London . The ancient story is recorded in the book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible and tells how a Haman, a royal adviser to King Ahasuerus planned to kill all the Jews in the empire. But his plans were foiled by Mordechai and his adopted daughter Esther. Boys in costume celebrate in London . Purim is celebrated annually on the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Adar - the day following the victory over the plot. Children pose for a picture in the London sunshine . Celebrations are held around the world with children donning fancy dress outfits, ranging from penguins to cowboys, and even musketeers, pictured here in north London . A family dressed in matching sailor outfits make their way through Stamford Hill, going from house to house giving out presents . A group of teenage boys enjoy an open-top bus ride through the streets of north London as they celebrate the holy festival . The annual Purim holiday is celebrated by Jewish communities around the world, as here in London, with parades and costume parties, singing and dancing . These young families are getting into the spirit of the day by dressing up as superheroes, clowns, teddy bears and even parrots at Stamford Hill, north London . Two young children in London dress as Enid Blyton's classic character Noddy as they join their families for the Purim celebrations today . As part of Purim, families are encouraged to share gifts of food and drink, and to donate money to charity, as shown by these children in north London . Three young children dressed as butchers sit atop a wall outside their house as they watch their friends and neighbours pass by in Stamford Hill in the capital . It is traditional for observers to dress as Queen Esther, and this group of young girls make a team perfect princesses as they mark Purim in north London . The fancy dress element of the day is said by some to commemorate how Esther was able to disguise herself when she took part in a beauty contest, with the winner becoming King Ahasuerus's new bride. These children enjoy today's sunshine in north London . These little girls must be a-buzz with excitement as they dress as bumble bees to celebrate the festival with their friends in Stamford Hill . As well as dressing up, pictured here in London, children are encouraged to make as much noise as possible whenever Haman's name is uttered in a bid to drown it out. Two young girls dressed in their Purim finery take to the streets of north London with boxes of treats to share with their friends and neighbours . A young boy carries his little sister as she plays her harmonica - making a noise is actively encouraged which gives children even more of a reason to enjoy the celebrations in north London . Observers also mark the festival by dancing and singing their way through the streets of north London . A troop of children joyfully make their way down a street in Stamford Hill, north London, cheering and singing as they go . In Tel Avi, Israel, people dressed in costumes including superheroes and Elsa from Frozen eagerly await the start of an annual parade . Children dressed as a Stormtrooper, pirate and fairy were among the crowds who gathered for the parade in Holon, near Tel Aviv . A carnival dancer wearing an impressive feather headdress performs for the assembled crowds in Holon, Israel .
Thousands of people took to the streets of the Israeli capital today to mark the annual festival of Purim . The holiday commemorates the foiling of a 5th century plot to annihilate all Jews in ancient Persian empire . Celebrations have been held around the world, including London, with children encouraged to wear fancy dress .