A holiday I enjoy celebrating with my family is the Jewish holiday of Purim. Purim is the celebration of the salvation of the Jews after Persia decreed that they would all be wiped out on the 15th of Adar (a date on the Jewish calendar). This decree was masterminded by Haman, a man who hated the Jews and wore a triangular shaped hat. To combat this decree, a Jewish heroine named Esther convinced the king of Persia to let the Jews fight back. On the 15th of Adar instead of the Jews being killed, the Jews fought back and were able to survive.
To celebrate this holiday there are many traditions including the baking of Hamantachens. This dessert is named after Haman, the man who wanted to wipe out the Jews and is baked in the shape of his famous triangular hat.
Hamantachens are made in the shape of a triangle by folding in a circle of dough and pinching the 3 corners together. The middle of the Hamantachens is stuffed with various things including jams, poppy seeds, or chocolate.
My favorite memory of making Hamantachens with my family was the year a snowstorm fell out on Purim when I was around 7. We were not able to do our normal Purim activities which was really disappointing, so to cheer us up our grandmother came over and taught us how to bake them. We sang Purim songs, ate delicious Hamantachens and had an incredible time. Despite the snow and the lack of normal Purim activities, the family bonding and wonderful baking experience made it one of my favorite Purims. The baking of Hamantachens really enhanced my Purim experience and gave me some incredible memories with my family!
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