Purim Party!

It's almost Purim. It's time to read the Megillah, eat, drink and be merry--it's the most merry of holidays for those of us who are Jewish.

Invitation

If the family is making it, make it in the shape of a Hamentashen but 3-dimensional so it folds over and the invitation is inside. Oh how clever your family and friends will think you are.

Menu

I did some research on this subject, and besides Hamentashen (obviously) and kreplach, not too much is excluded. For instance, one website suggested pasta, bagels and cream cheese, peanut butter and jelly, crackers, cheese and wine, nuts and raisins, etc. Robin Treistman of WZO suggests "...preparing pastries in the shape of different animals, percussion instruments (for beating Haman), soldiers, and heroes of the Megillah" like they did in the old days.

By the way, don't stick to one type of Hamentashen...fill them with anything and everything--from jellies to chocolate; cream (like in a Hostess cupcake) or cheese (like a Danish pastry).

Turkey is normally served. Why? Well, color me stupid...I never knew but according to Ms. Treistman... "By eating turkey, we honor Achashverosh, who ruled from Ethiopia to India. How do we honor him? Among the peoples of Europe, including the Jews, turkey is considered a symbol of stupidity, so we remember Achashverosh as the "stupid" king (as termed such in Midrash Megilla XII)." Another custom, she says, is to eat different kinds of seeds -- pumpkin, sunflower seeds, nuts and beans and legumes. "This is to commemorate Esther's eating only seeds while she lived in the King's palace...and to celebrate the vegetarian lifestyle that Esther had to adopt while queen (in order to preserve her observance of the kashrut dietary laws). Additionally, beans symbolize sadness, as they are traditionally eaten after a funeral. We eat them on Purim amongst all the merriment to remind us of our continued state of exile."

And, last but not least, don't forget the wine. As if you need a reason (but here it is anyway), "Esther is intrinsically bound with wine: In the beginning, Vashti was beheaded because she refused to appear at the King's wine-based indulgence. In the end, Haman's final downfall also took place through wine."

So now you have all the excuses you need to pig out on food and wine!

Decorations

Hang large cut-outs of Hamentashen from the ceiling. Hang pictures of Hamen with a circle and a line through it (and, for sure, you'll get a laugh). Tie off your napkins with noisemakers (a must).

Activities

Dress in costume. It's customary. Purim is a time when you can wear masks and costumes and be who you want to be throughout the party. Because the moral of the story surrounding Purim is that things didn't turn out as they seemed they would, "...it became to the custom to dress up and mask one's own identity." So, get with it. As I am sure you know, masks of every type are available. Clowns and jesters, jokesters and more are appreciated on this holiday--and now's your chance.
Let people get up and tell tasteful jokes. Purim and jokes go hand-in-hand. So, encourage your guests to laugh and have fun.

Tsedukah activities are good and educational, too. Collect change to give to the poor (or to use for Passover for needy families). Make centerpieces that are food baskets to donate. Take the masks and costumes you use for the party to the local hospital or orphanage to share with other children. And so on and so forth.

HAMENTASCHEN RECIPE for PURIM from The Holiday Spot:

Hamentaschen, a traditional Purim delight, is a three-cornered pastry filled with mohn (poppy seed) or other sweet filling. The ingrediants are as follows:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1/2 cup margarine
• 3 eggs
• 4 cups flour
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 3 tsps. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 lbs. mohn filling Cream
• sugar, oil and margarine.

Add eggs and juice and mix well. Blend with dry ingredients and roll into a ball.

Divide into four parts. Roll out each piece very thin (approximately 1/8 inch) on a floured board. With the rim of a cup or glass (depending on desired size) cut into the dough to make circles. Place 1/2 to 2/3 teaspoon of filling in the middle of each circle. To shape into triangle, lift up right and left sides, leaving the bottom side down, and bring both sides to meet at center, above the filling. Lift bottom side up to center to meet other two sides. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush dough with beaten egg before baking. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

Yields 4 dozen Hamentaschen.

Happy Purim, from the Party Girl and the Party-ettes!

Return to Holidays and Events