Purim, Riverdale-style

A festive atmosphere filled area synagogues and community centers for the Jewish holiday of Purim last week. Highlighted by the reading of the Megillah - the story of how Esther, the Jewish Queen of Persia, foiled a genocidal plot against her co-religionists - it is a time of celebration and feasting on candy and special triangular pastries called Hamantaschen. In addition, children dress in costumes and participate in the Jewish version of trick-or-treating. While snowfall prevented some people from calling on one another at their homes as per usual custom, the weather did not keep children and others from flocking to local houses of worship. Photo editor Adrian Fussell captured the fun at Chabad Lubavitch of Riverdale on March 4 and the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale on march 5.