When the Syrian-Jewish community migrated from the ancient city of Aleppo in historic Syria to the United States in the early twentieth century, they carried with them their unique and beloved culinary traditions. Poopa Dweck, a first generation Syrian-Jewish American, realized that the culinary legacy of her community was not written down. Knowing that the

Years ago, we visited the home of another young couple for a Purim Seudah. The couple was Moroccan and the woman was an accomplished traditional cook. To begin the meal, she brought out a beautiful Moroccan Purim bread called “Ojo de Haman”, crowned by a hard boiled egg. One of the men at the table

It has all the elements of pulp fiction biblical style: the foolish king (Ahasuerus), the spurned wife (Vashti), the wicked first minister (Haman), the brave and beautiful maiden (Esther) and her honorable protector (Mordecai). Add to the mix an assassination plot foiled and a people saved, leading to millennia of rejoicing. Fast forward 2,500 years,

Part I: Parashat Tetzaveh Part II: Purim Part I: Parashat Tetzaveh 5767 Our parsha discusses the kohanic garments. The “rank and file” kohanim wore four garments – pants, shirt, sash and turban – and the Kohen Gadol wore the above with an additional four garments. After donning the pants and shirt, the next garment was the avnet,

The story of Valerie Peckler The Purim story is the first story of the Bible that deals in a modern ambiguity – disaster is averted, things work out in the end, but God is not explicitly in the text. There are no showy miracles in the Book of Esther – no splitting seas, no walls

A Lesson For the Children: Gustov owned a large farm. The yard near his house was full of chickens and ducks, and in huts at the end of the yard he kept the cattle. In the first stall he kept a horse, next to him was a donkey, and in the last stall was a

If you feel like a basket case as Purim approaches and are searching for interesting items for your shaloach manot gift baskets, read on! You’ll find lots of tasty treats that are sure to please family and friends. Your baskets will runneth over! The best-known treat for Purim is hamantaschen, those scrumptious three-cornered pastries shaped

The quest for a recipe for Mohnlach began several weeks ago with a phone call from my mother’s cousin Roy. “Norene, maybe you can help me? I keep thinking about the poppy seed candy my mother used to make for Purim when I was a little boy. I thought if anyone would have the recipe,

Purim is one of the most joyous holidays of the Jewish calendar. On the 14th of Adar we celebrate a heroic victory over those out to destroy us, by recounting how in ancient Persia a plot to annihilate the Jews was thwarted by Esther and Mordechai. Among traditional observances, dressing up in costumes and masks

The story of Purim is a tale of venahafoch hu – things turning around and about and turning out, much to everyone’s surprise, just right. Things like that happen nowadays too. It was late one Friday afternoon on erev Purim… “Hello, Ima? Are you finished in the kitchen yet? Can I come over for a