Purim and the Eating of Haman's Ears!

These are a dessert that we eat at Purim. 

It is called Hamentashen or sometimes Haman's ears. 

Purim is the most festive of all of the Jewish holidays.  It is a time of giving and getting prizes, noisemakers, costumes and treats. The Festival of Purim commemorates a major victory over oppression. It all stems from the story of Esther called the Megillah.  There will be a big party on the day of Purim where there will be a time of reading the Megillah, the story of Esther, during the reading we use noisemakers to signify our happiness and our sadness at the treatment of the Jews during that time.  When the name of Haman is mentioned everyone hisses and boos and  use noisemakers (groggers) to show their dislike of Haman and what he did to the Jewish people and when Esther or Mordecai is mentioned we all cheer to celebrate what they did to free the Jewish people .  There will be a costume contest, the best dressed biblical character will get the prize and then of course there will be food, lots of food and games for the children to play.  It will be a great time for everyone!

In the book of Esther we see our Savior, our Messiah, through Mordecai! 

Time to eat Haman's ears!  

http://www.globaldreamers.org/activities/tresources/purim.html

We eat Haman's ears on Purim to remember the cruel man who wanted to destroy the Jewish people in Persia. It was said that he wore and three cornered hat and that he had a crooked nose. By eating Haman's ears at the Purim meal, it symbolizes getting rid of evil opinions this is symbolized by the hearing ears. Amalek which was Haman's tribe hated the Jews and were a real danger to the Jewish people. It is also said that Haman was hung by his ears.

Ingredients for the dough:

4 eggs 
225 g sugar 
125 ml vegetable oil 
3 tbsp lemon juice 
grated rind of 1 lemon 
1 tsp vanilla essence 
2 tsp baking powder 
600 g whole meal flour

Ingredients for the filling:

675 g prune butter 
175 g seedless raisins 
125 g chopped walnuts 
grated rind of 1 lemon or orange 
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl and gradually stir in the sugar. Gradually mix in the oil, lemon juice, lemon rind and the vanilla essence. Add first the baking powder and then the flour. Turn the dough out on a floured surface and knead (add more flour if necessary) until a stiff, non-sticky dough is formed.
To make the filling mix all the ingredients together well. 
Preheat the oven to 190 C. Roll out the dough until thin and cut 2,5 cm circles of dough. Place 1 tsp of the filling in the center of each dough and pinch together 3 points on the circle tightly to make a triangle. 
Place the hamentacshen on a greased baking sheet and bake 20 minutes.

Come join us at Beth Yeshua and enjoy some Haman's ears with us!

Phillip dressed as Mordecai reading traditional prayers on Purim

Time to eat those Haman's ears and lots of other good stuff!

Tony dressed as a Haman.  

This is what Haman would have worn if he had lived in Ft Worth!

Mario reading the story of Esther 

and celebrating what Esther did for the Jewish people!

Judging the girls who dressed like Queen Esther in the costume contest!