Dressing up for Purim

Do all girls want to dress up as Esther and do all boys want to be Mordechai? Um, no. But what should the kids wear? I've heard a lot of discussion lately about whether classic superheroes are appropriate attire. Does it say that somehow Esther wasn't brave if a girl dresses up like Cinderella instead? No, though certainly no fairy tale hero is free of stereotypes, either. Of course, lots of our favorite superheroes were created by Jews (read Disguised As Clark Kent: Jews, Comics, And the Creation of the Superhero, by Danny Fingeroth for examples). Don't forget about the Jewish Hero Corps, an amusing set of characters with holiday-related powers. (For example, Shabbas Queen's Electro-wand pauses electrical devices for 24 hours - maybe it should be 25 but you get the idea.) I would have worn my Shabbas Queen t-shirt for the megillah reading but, being 7 months pregnant, its superpower is that it can behave like a window blind.

I have always maintained that costumes are better when they are clever than when they are elaborate - hence my son dressing as Harold and the Purple Crayon... and the moon went with him (as it does in most of the stories)... He was thrilled, even if it wasn't Purim-inspired in the least.

Family Fun Day at Gesher - March 21

On Sunday afternoon March 21 from 1-4, come celebrate at Gesher Jewish Day School's Annual Community Family Fun Day. Activities are suitable for preschool through early elementary kids. There will be a balloon and magic show, make your own matzah, gardening, Passover bingo, a moon bounce, and refreshments. Gesher is located at 4800 Mattie Moore Court in Fairfax. For more information, contact Debra Mendelson at 703-962-9216.

Passover Fun with Charoset!

On one hand, I can barely think about Passover yet, but on the other hand, I have already started to think about using up all sorts of chametz items in my pantry. So, it's not too early to post information on a Growing Jewish Families event on Sunday March 21 at 4 pm for a book reading and charoset tasting. We'll read Too Many Cooks by Edie Stoltz Zolkower and then try several types of charoset. The location hasn't yet been finalized.

If you would like to contribute a recipe or receive copies of those provided at the event, contact Michelle Pearlstein. Stay tuned for final location information.

Hamantaschen recipe

My favorite hamantaschen recipe is from The Complete American-Jewish Cookbook by Anne London and Bertha Kahn Bishov. The cookbook (a paperback copy) is the one thing I begged my mom to find for me when I moved out of her house. Her dog-eared, stained hardcover copy was the best source for anything holiday-appropriate. It's now out of print, but if you can find a way to pick it up, do!

Ingredients:
4 c sifted all-purpose flour
3 t baking powder
3/4 c sugar
1/4 t salt
4 eggs
1/3 c vegetable oil
grated rind of 1 lemon or orange

Mix and sift dry ingredients. Add eggs, oil, and grated rind. Mix well. Knead until smooth. Roll out on a floured board to 1/8" thickness. Cut into 4-inch rounds. Place a heaping teaspoonful of filling in the center of each and bring the edges together to form a triangle, pinching together to close securely. Bake on a greased baking sheet in a moderate over (375F) until browned, about 30 minutes.

I happen to prefer apricot and poppy seed fillings, but have fun with it. Also, I tend to make mine smaller. And a tip I've learned over time - if they are already falling open before they get into the oven, it'll only get worse. Do everything you can to make sure that they go into the oven looking good because it only gets worse. That said, my husband has never had a problem with quality control tasting responsibilities. He knows that if I bring him a perfect looking one to taste, then either I've had a phenomenal batch or I need him to fix something around the house.

Shushan Purim Program and Carnival at Gesher JDS

On Monday, March 1st at 11:30 am, join Cantor Ackerman for a mini megillah reading, Purim songs and stories. Then off to our gym for the fabulous PTO Purim school carnival, complete with games, moonbounce, and lots more! Come in costume and leave with Purim goodies! Please RSVP for this program to Debra Mendelson (703-962-9216).

Open gym at Gesher JDS this Friday, Feb 19

Come to Gesher Jewish Day School for open gym for your infant-preschoolers this Friday, February 19 at 10:00. Free snack and Shabbat sing-a-long included! I can't wait for the snow to melt (and the mud to dry up) but until then, running around time at a gym sounds wonderful.

Gesher is located at 4800 Mattie Moore Court, Fairfax, VA 22030. Reservation is not necessary, but welcome! Contact Debra Mendelson, Director of Admissions, at 703-962-9216 for questions or to respond.

Baking challah in the snow

I'm sure we all found that the smell of something wonderful baking was a lovely treat over the past few days. (My apologies to anyone who lost power who missed out.) Despite being tired of cooking, I decided that it was time to bake challah with my son. I wasn't sure whether the stores would have any and it seemed like a fun idea. He's getting good at play-dough and silly putty rolling, so I figured he could handle it. I timed it to make the dough at the start of his nap, and then we could punch it down and braid afterwards.

I couldn't have imagined how much fun he would have. Punching down the challah was the best part of the day (because the sledding had been mediocre) and braiding, just like Sammy the Spider does, was something he almost mastered by the time we were done. I'm not sure I selected the best recipe. I wanted to bake 2 loaves rather than 3 and Joan Nathan's recipe says it makes 2 loaves but I found that it generates more dough than the classic Jewish American Cookbook recipe, which states that it makes 3. Anyway, we will have two VERY large loaves. But the excitement in my son's eyes when he saw it some out of the oven was just wonderful.

It's so nice to do something relatively simple that can enrich both Shabbat and baking skills at once.

Purim costumes

It's also not too early to think about Purim costumes. There are some ideas at CreativeJewishMom.com. I recall that when we were at the Jewish Day School in Allentown, PA, my brother's entire class was Mordechai, Haman, or Achashverosh - except for him. He wanted to be Superman, and so he was. To this day, he asks my parents why they let him and now, as a parent, I think he knows why. He wouldn't have wanted to be anything else - and it makes for a good story, too.

Preparing shalach manot

One of my favorite parts of Purim is preparing shalach manot for friends. It's among the four mitzvot during Purim - to hear Megillat Esther, to give to charity (matanot l'evyonim), to give gifts of food, and to eat and party. Shalach manot should include two types of food - meaning that two different blessings would be said over the contents - and be delivered on Purim proper. Also, upon receipt of the gift, the recipient should not thank the giver, as the giver is fulfilling a mitzvah by the gift. However, if an intermediary is delivering, it's customary to give a tip. (Teenagers enjoy providing this delivery service.) I've ordered some online for friends in Israel and know that they won't be delivered on Purim, but I feel comfortable that my intention is more important than the delivery date!

Being snowed in and all would be a good time to get started, if I knew exactly what this year's contents would be and could have picked up some bags in an appropriate size. Last year, we sat down with my son (then a little less than 2 years) and had him help stamp and decorate little brown bags (from the craft store) and sign his name to the gift tags. I alternate among a few different hamantaschen recipes depending on which one I find first in the cookbook shelf. I'm not sure how well any of them freeze, though, so though I have all the ingredients in house, it will have to wait. This year I am thinking that my son can help with more of the steps. (To anyone who might receive them, yes, he'll wash his hands frequently, too!) I hesitate to add a bottle of wine or liquor (always a nice addition and easy to fulfill the multiple blessing part of it) because I'm sure that anyone 7 months pregnant would look funny going into an ABC store. (Yeah, I could send the husband instead - though it might be kind of fun.) Anyway, even if you're not ready to prepare, you can do what I've been doing and pull together a shopping list. I've already ordered some goodies for the kids who will be receiving them online. Even with the snow, they should clearly arrive in plenty of time for assembly.

And, believe it or not, I'm thinking about Passover because I'm always the one in my family responsible for coming up with some new text or reading or tradition to share. I think that once the snow melts, spring will come very fast... There are some good family haggadot out there - I'll try to share some info about them soon.

Family Fun Day at the JCC - February 28

Get ready for summer (tell me who among us isn't ready to put the shovels away!!) at the JCC's Family Fun Day from 10am-12pm on Sunday February 28. There will be summer themed arts and crafts, open gym from 10:30-11:30, and snacks. The cost is just $5 per family for members and $7 for nonmembers. Please contact the JCC at 703-323-0880 to register in advance, if possible.

Purim Pajama Party - February 21

Get ready for Purim at a program sponsored by the PJ Library and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation at Barnes & Noble at Tysons Corner Mall. On Sunday February 21, from 6:30-7:30 pm, you can read stories, make costume accessories, play games, and eat hamantaschen. Dress the kids in their pajamas for an easy transition to bedtime.

Contact Michelle Pearlstein (703-537-3033 or MichelleP@jccnv.org) for more information or to register. The event is free, but advance registration is appreciated.

Comedy Night re-scheduled

Well, due to the snow this past Saturday, the JCC's Kids' Night Out was canceled, and the Comedy Night was postponed until Saturday March 6. There are still a very limited number of tickets left, so contact the JCC ASAP if you'd like to attend.

I hope you had some fun playing in the snow. We sure did!