Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan NJ

  While many Jewish holidays have pretty serious religious underpinnings, Purim, coming up on February 25th, is one of the most joyous and fun of the Jewish holidays. It’s a little bit of Mardi Gras, Passover, and Halloween all rolled into one. Traditions of this holiday include giving care packages to those in need and baking delicious Jewish staples. But how did these traditions emerge? What exactly is Purim?  The Origin of Purim The story of Purim commemorates the events that took place in the Bible: Book of Esther. The protagonists of the story are Esther and her cousin Mordecai who raised her as if she was his own daughter. Esther was a young and beautiful Jewish woman living in Persia. She was taken to the King of Persia, Ahasuerus, immediately took a liking to her. So much so, that he made Esther the queen. However, the king did not know an important part of Esther’s identity. She hid her Judaism from him per her cousin Mordecai’s advice.  The antagonist, or ...

  For many Jewish families, Purim wouldn’t be complete without Hamantaschen or the “triangle cookies” that are a traditional part of the holiday. These staple cookies are so simple to make once you gather the right ingredients. Not to mention, you can fill the center pockets of each cookie with whatever filling you like! For this recipe, we decided to alternate between apricot preserves, raspberry jam, and Nutella. Without further ado, here is Jewish Community Housing Corporation’s signature recipe for Hamantaschen cookies! Ingredients: 1 cup sugar 1 1/3 cups margarine or butter 2 large eggs  6 tablespoons water 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 cups all-purpose flour Fillings: apricot jam, Nutella, Raspberry Jam Baking sheet  3 in. round cookie cutter Confectioners’ sugar (optional) Prep Time: 30 mins (if the dough is prepped ahead of time) Cook Time: 15 mins Directions: 1.    ...