A Parent's Guide To

A Parent's Guide

To PURIM

Tucson Jewish Community Center ● 520-299-3000 ● www.tucsonjcc.org Page 1 hag Sameach!!! (Happy Holiday). Please enjoy this booklet to use at home with Cyour child. We hope that you will share in the learning that takes place at the Tucson JCC. This booklet is intended to expand your knowledge on the Jewish holiday, Purim, and to give you some great ideas for fun activities that will help you reinforce the holiday at home. Enjoy!

Significance

The story of Purim is told in the book of Esther, and it relates to how the Jewish people avoided genocidal destruction about 2500 years ago in Persia. According to the story, an evil minster to the king named Haman purchased the right to attack the Jewish population. It was only through Mordecai & Esther that the plan was countermanded. Mordecai was the spiritual leader of the Jews, and Esther was the Jewish woman chosen to be the Queen of Persia. Esther convinced the king (her husband) that the wicked Haman, not innocent Jews, should be destroyed. Thus, Haman was hung in the gallows on the 14th day in the Hebrew month of Adar, and that day is still a time of celebration even in modern times.

Observances

The book of Esther appears in a Megillah, which is separate from the Torah. Traditionally in Jerusalem and at synagogues, the Megillah is read aloud on the eve of Purim. Listeners sound "groggers" (noise makers) each time Haman's name is spoken in order to drown out his name from being heard. Children dress in costume, and many schools have Purim Parades as part of the Purim fanfare. Hamantaschen (translates as "Haman's Hat") are a cookie that looks like Haman's hat and are stuffed with numerous varieties of filling. They are traditionally eaten at this time of year.

Tucson Jewish Community Center ● 520-299-3000 ● www.tucsonjcc.org Page 2 Hamataschen Recipe ingredients

· 2 cups all-purpose flour · 1 large egg

· 2 teaspoons baking powder · 2 teaspoons packed finely grated fresh orange zest · 1/8 teaspoon salt · 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice · 1/2 cup vegetable shortening · 2/3 cup filling such as Date Orange · 1 cup sugar Filling , Apple Raisin Filling , prune lekvar, poppy-seed filling, or apricot or cherry jam

preparation Into a bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat shortening, sugar, and egg at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add zest and juice and beat until incorporated. Add flour mixture, stirring, until a smooth dough is formed. Gather dough into a ball and flatten into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days. Preheat oven to 375° F.

Halve dough. On a lightly floured surface roll out half of dough (keeping other half wrapped and chilled) 1/4 inch thick. With a 3-inch cutter cut out as many rounds as possible. Transfer rounds with a metal spatula to a large baking sheet, arranging about 1/2 inch apart. Reroll scraps and cut out more rounds. Put 1 teaspoon filling in center of each round and fold up edges to form triangular cookies resembling a tricornered hat, pinching corners together and leaving filling exposed. (Pinch dough tightly enough so seams are no longer visible and sides are taut enough to prevent cookies from leaking filling as they bake.)

Bake hamantaschen in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until pale golden. Cool hamantaschen on baking sheet 5 minutes and transfer to racks to cool completely. Make more hamantaschen with remaining dough and filling in same manner. Hamantaschen keep in an airtight container at room temperature 5 days.

Crafts

Tucson Jewish Community Center ● 520-299-3000 ● www.tucsonjcc.org Page 3 Queen Esther Paper Plate Mask

Handprint Mask

Paper Plate Grogger (Noise Maker)

Tucson Jewish Community Center ● 520-299-3000 ● www.tucsonjcc.org Page 4 Paper Plate Hamantaschen

Purim Songs

Tucson Jewish Community Center ● 520-299-3000 ● www.tucsonjcc.org Page 5 Chag Purim Purim Parade

Chag Purim, Chag Purim, chag gadol hu Chorus: la Yehudim. Masechot v’raashanim, shirim A Purim parade, a Purim parade v’rakadim. We'll march along together in a Purim Hava narisha, raash, raash, raash. parade Hava narisha – raash, raash, raash A Purim parade, a Purim parade Hava narisha – raash, raash, raash– We'll march along in merry masquerade b’raashanim. We'll tell a tale about brave Esther Purim day, Purim day, what a happy and then there's Mordechai, holiday. two heroes of the Jewish people Wear a mask. Wear a crown. Dancing Ahashverosh, King of Persia all around. Then there's Haman Round go the groggers, raash, raash, Turn your gorggers, turn your groggers raash He's an evil man Round go the groggers, raash, raash, raash Chorus Round go the groggers, raash, raash, raash On Purim day

Nosh Nosh a Hamatash

Nosh, nosh a hamantash, Nosh, nosh a hamantash now! (repeat)

Roll roll roll the dough with me, Roll it flat and you will see Haman‘s hat was just like that, Let‘s nosh a hamantash now (chorus)

Cut cut cut the dough with me, cut it If You Wear the Name of Haman straight and you will see… (To the tune of "If You're Happy & You Know It")

Fill fill fill the dough with me, fill it full and If you wear the name of Haman stomp you will see… your feet (stomp, stomp) Fold fold fold the dough with me, fold it If you wear the name of Haman stomp tight and you will see… your feet (stomp, stomp) Bake bake bake the dough with me, If you wear the name of Haman, If you bake it brown & you will see… wear the name of Haman, Eat eat eat it quick with me, eat it up If you wear the name of Haman stomp and you will see… your feet (stomp, stomp)

Tucson Jewish Community Center ● 520-299-3000 ● www.tucsonjcc.org Page 6 --If you hear the name of Esther clap --If you hear Mordechai, shout hooray your hands (clap, clap) (hooray!) --If you hear Ahashverosh, look away (look over shoulder)

Tucson Jewish Community Center ● 520-299-3000 ● www.tucsonjcc.org Page 7