Montreal’s Beth Tikvah congregation celebrates annual Purim carnival

Kids came out wearing their best costumes to celebrate the beginning of Purim at the Beth Tikvah synagogue in Dollard-Des-Ormeaux.

The congregation hosted a carnival-style celebration, complete with cotton candy, pizza, a costume parade, inflatables and several games.

The day-long event marks the Jewish festival of Purim, which begins Wednesday evening and ends the next evening.

Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from genocide in ancient Persia, as told in the book of Esther.

The celebrations often include enjoying traditional triangle-shaped cookies called hamantaschen and dressing up in costumes.

In pictures: Beth Tikvah’s Purim festival