Okay, I’m Purim-challenged, but... Is there a better way to celebrate the holiday than making mishloach manos with your kids?

by Jamie Geller

Issue of February 26, 2010/ 12 Adar 5770

I’ll admit it. As a baalas teshuvah, early associations with Halloween taint my relationship to Purim. Oh, I know, I know, Purim is different, totally; it’s all about kedushah and achdus - the holiness and unity of the Jewish People. But to me a costume is a costume.

And no costume is good enough. I learned this as a child, when I had to wear homemade costumes half-heartedly put together by my mother. One year, she dressed me in my fanciest clothes and put a huge, floppy sun hat on me and told me I was a “Southern Belle.” I had probably watched Gone With the Wind (one of Mommy’s favorite flicks) about 50 times by age nine, but none of my friends had ever heard of a “southern belle” and I had to spend all day furtively explaining the idea to them. Frankly, my dear, they didn’t give a darn...

It was all downhill from there. Each year, my costume was lamer than the last. I began to believe that I had inherited a lack of creativity. Listen, either you are born thinking costume or you aren’t! Add to that the spooky, scary aspect of Halloween - and I mean scary, as in fear of razor blades in candy bars scary - and you have one BT who was quite willing to sit out the “Jewish Halloween.”

Then I learned that nobody is afraid of receiving dangerous hamentaschen (except, of course, for the calories) and that dressing up on Purim is supposed to evoke the idea of “masked” miracles. And all of this actually has a purpose. It’s not an empty excuse to party. We have a legitimate mesorah to stuff ourselves with candy - how cool is that? And on what other day can you visit your esteemed, respected rabbi - and find him coddling a bottle of wine with a merry twinkle in his eye, and wishing you hundreds, no, thousands of blessings as you depart?

In truth, my early attempts to “do” Purim as a BT are a blur, but I remember every Purim vividly since I had children. Their sheer joy in dressing up is contagious. Preparing mishloach manos fills them with excitement and delivering mishloach manos brings them to near euphoria. I love to share this time with them!

Together, we plan and make mishloach manos to give out to our friends, family, and all those who have an impact on our lives (teachers, rabbis, the nice lady down the block with the cookies...) We always give to some people who are simply acquaintances, too. For one thing, the expression on their faces is worth it and for another - isn’t this holiday all about achdus? What kind of achdus is it if we give out the goodies only to our predictable, best friends? Give everybody, I say, especially those who least expect a gift from you!

And don’t think you have to be so original with the mishloach manos, either. Do what I’ve done: steal a few good ideas from people who live in other communities.

One year, I borrowed a concept from a friend: Our mishloach manos consisted of all things purple and grape-flavored and we wished everyone “A Grape Purim!” Another friend of mine created an edible candy sushi kit, complete with chocolate plate and chopsticks and “sushi” made from Rice Krispie Treats and Fruit Roll Ups. Divine! Then there was a neighbor who delivered black and white chocolate chess pieces (with a poem tying it to the holiday) while her entire family paraded as chess pieces. I would have given anything to have thought of that, but it’s not in my genes.

One year, when Purim fell on erev Shabbos, I gave out individual soups and challah rolls - all homemade - to great acclaim. I didn’t dare tell anyone that I got the idea from another friend who did the same thing a few years before.

This year, I’m sticking with a tried & true favorite: Little containers of milk with my signature chocolate chip cookies packed in Martha Stewart craft cookie boxes. So cute! After all, Purim is not supposed to be a stressful time. If I make easy mishloach manos treats, I’ll have more energy left to fret over my kids’ costumes.

Because even after all these years, I still feel Purim-challenged. My costume ideas still have no bling. But I never lose hope. Maybe someday I’ll have my own Purim miracle: a hidden DNA transformation, so I can concoct a fab costume with the best of ‘em. I’m going to try to prod it along this year by putting on a blond sheitel. Is that wild and crazy, or what?

Half Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup margarine, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (10-ounce) bag chocolate chips

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease 2 cookie sheets with non-stick baking spray.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together margarine, sugars, egg and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking soda and salt.

Combine margarine mixture with flour mixture and add chocolate chips; stir until well blended.

Drop 10 heaping tablespoons of cookie batter onto each prepared cookie sheet, about 1-inch apart.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until cookies are firm in the center.

Allow to cool on the cookie sheets before removing with a spatula and serving.

Tips:

Whole-wheat flour can go rancid very quickly. If possible, store in a sealable plastic bag in the freezer and only keep for about a month after opening. To test whether whole-wheat flour has spoiled, sample a little on the tip of your finger. It should not taste sour.

Jamie Geller is the spokesperson for Kosher.com and author of Quick & Kosher: Recipes from the Bride Who Knew Nothing (Feldheim). Residing in Monsey, NY, Jamie also blogs daily at blog.kosher.com and is currently working on her second cookbook.