(Image from Kol Emeth‘s Purim email) Here are a few last minute ideas plus activities around the Bay Area. Is Purim a good “first” Jewish holiday for non-Jewish loved ones? A few favorite Hamentashen recipes My Jewish Learning’s “BEST” hamantaschen recipe looks pretty much like my mother’s Sugar Cookie dough and yes, it’s darn good! Candy hamentashen More…
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My dear friend who is an enthusiastic baker has three favorite hamentashen cookie recipes. Since I can’t readily pick between them I tend to make all three. From my friend’s childhood friend comes: Flo Braker’s Hamantashen Dough 3 cups flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1/4 pound margarine 1 cup sugar 1 large…
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This year Purim begins March 6th. A Purim custom that I have seen consistently observed in the more traditional movements of Judaism is the practice of giving food gifts, Mishloach Manot, to friends and acquaintances. It’s sort of the reverse of Halloween. Instead of getting goodies, you give them. Like any new behavior it can…
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(This image is from the email I got from the Marin JCC canceling their Purim Palooza. Isn’t it delightful!) The City of San Francisco has announced that due to ongoing public health concerns over COVID-19, all events at City-owned venues between March 7 and March 20 will be cancelled. This has included a number of Jewish events….
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(Russian girls celebrating a holiday I don’t know about) I recently saw an email with the subject line, The Best Purim Kitsch You Can Buy on the Internet. I almost deleted it since all I need are more tchotchkes. Then I stopped. Purim is not one of those untouchable holy holidays that no one wants…
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(Image: A hamentashen bake with friends) We just observed Tu B’shvat and are now coming up on Purim. Both of these are minor holidays in the Jewish calendar. It can be tempting to say, we don’t need to do anything for them; they aren’t really that important. But pause and consider, why might they be…
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