A FEW MORE JEWISH HOLIDAYS

Obviously, Judaism consists of much more than the holidays mentioned thus far in this book. There is an entire calendar full of holidays that, unfortunately, we weren’t able to cover in depth (hello, sequel!). Below we’ve given you a brief overview of some other major holidays on the Jewish calendar, along with some fun facts and tips for celebrating.

SUKKOT

Sukkot falls immediately after Yom Kippur and, though following one of the most serious and solemn holidays, is all about rejoicing. In fact, it is often referred to as the “Season of our Rejoicing,” or Z’man Simchateinu. The idea behind the celebration is one part historical and one part agricultural, as it not only commemorates the years spent wandering in the desert but also acts as a harvest festival. Below are a few fast facts about Sukkot:

• Sukkot means “booths,” and refers to the temporary shelters Jews were commanded to live in during their period of wandering.
• A main part of the holiday revolves around building and decorating a sukkah (great fun for the kids!) with everything from fruits and vegetables (usually dried squash and corn) to children’s artwork.
• A sukkah must have at least two-and-a-half walls covered with material that will not blow away in the wind, and a roof made from sekhakh (meaning “covering”). The sekhakh needs to be something that came from the ground (such as branches, cornstalks, bamboo, etc.). The sekhakh should be left loose and be sparse enough that rain can get through but not sparse enough that there is more light than shade.
• Observant Jews are encouraged to spend as much time as possible in the sukkah (including sleeping in it!), but the idea of “dwelling” in the sukkah can be simply eating all of one’s meals inside it.
• It’s no coincidence that Sukkot is reminiscent of Thanksgiving. Some believe that the Pilgrims based the holiday on Sukkot.
• Another major observance is the use of the lulav and etrog. The lulav consists of a palm branch, two willow branches, and three myrtle branches. The etrog is a citrus fruit similar to a lemon and is native to Israel. Holding each in one hand, they are brought together and are waved in six directions (north, south, east, west, up, and down) to recognize that God is everywhere.

• One of the most interesting traditions of Sukkot (at least in our opinion) is that of the Ushpizin, or Seven Guests. For each of the seven nights of the holiday, Jews are encouraged to “invite” leaders of historical importance to join them in the sukkah. The traditional invitees are Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, and David, and they are considered, for the night, to be the most honored guest.

SIMCHAT TORAH

Simchat Torah follows Sukkot on the Jewish calendar as another celebratory holiday. Each week in temple, Jews read passages from the Torah, starting with Genesis and ending with Deuteronomy. Simchat Torah celebrates the reading of the last chapter, which is then immediately followed by Genesis once again. It reminds congregants that the Torah is never-ending. A few more facts:

• The holiday is observed with a fun, high-spirited celebration. The ark that houses the Torahs is opened, all the Torahs are removed, and the congregants participate in a processional around the synagogue filled with dancing, singing, and prayers.
• As many people as possible are called for an aliyah, or blessing over the Torah reading, even children who are normally too young to receive one.
• Simchat Torah is a wonderful family holiday, as children are encouraged to run around with small (sometimes plush) Torahs in the synagogue and general craziness is accepted.
• Drinking is not uncommon during this holiday; aside from Purim, it is the holiday most associated with alcohol according to most texts.

TU B’SHEVAT

Anyone who ever made his or her way through Jewish day school (or Hebrew school, for that matter) knows this holiday as the “tree holiday,” and that’s precisely what it is: a New Year’s for Trees. It acts as a specific date to calculate the age of trees, as the Torah states that the fruit of the trees cannot be eaten for the first three years and the fourth year the fruit is reserved for God. More facts:

• Many celebrate this holiday by planting a tree, eating a new fruit, or collecting money to plant trees in Israel.
• It is customary to eat fruits that remind us of Israel including grapes, olives, dates, figs, and pomegranates. The blessing over fruit is said: Baruch atah A-donoy, Elo-heinu Melech Ha’Olam borei pri ha-aitz; Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.

PURIM

Purim is truly a holiday of fun and celebration. It is based around the Book of Esther (or Megillah Esther) and tells the story of how the Jewish people were delivered from the ancient Persian empire when King Ahausuerus’s royal advisor, Haman, planned to massacre them. In the story, the beautiful Esther becomes queen, though the King does not know that she is a Jew. Upon the advice of her cousin Mordecai, she approaches the King (a dangerous act) and tells him of Haman’s plot against her people, thus saving the Jews from extermination. More facts:

• The Book of Esther is believed to be the only book of the Bible that does not contain the name of God. In fact, there is little or no reference to God at all.
• It is celebrated on the fourteenth day of Adar (usually falling in March), the day the Jews celebrated their survival.
• The holiday is preceded by The Fast of Esther, in which we commemorate Esther’s three-day fast prior to meeting with the King.
• During the reading of the Megillah it is customary to shout, boo, stomp, and shake noisemakers when the name “Haman” is mentioned.
• On Purim, drinking is encouraged. In fact, there are many conflicting opinions on just how drunk one is commanded to get on the holiday . . . but we’ll leave that up to your own research and good judgment!
• Jews are also commanded to send food and gifts and to make gifts to charity. The custom is known as Matanot LaEvyonim, and specifies that a minimum of two gifts be given to people in need. The gift should be given during the day and can come either directly or through a third party.
• It is customary to hold celebrations, perform plays, and dress up as characters from the story of Purim.
• The Jewish women’s organization Hadassah was named for Queen Esther when it was founded in 1912, as Hadassah is Hebrew for Esther.

THE NEW, OLD-FASHIONED HAMANTASCHEN

Hamantaschen are the traditional pastry of Purim. Their three-sided shape is sometimes thought to be modeled on Haman’s hat and even has a song associated with it: My hat it has three corners. Three corners has my hat. And had it not three corners, It wouldn’t be my hat. Clever, no? This recipe comes courtesy of my very good friend, the lovely Deborah Edell, owner of Perry Street Cakes in New York City.

SERVES: 8–10 PREPARATION TIME: ABOUT ½ HOUR PLUS 2 HOURS TO CHILL THE DOUGH COOKING TIME: 20–25 MINUTES PER BATCH

3 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

1½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

10 tablespoons unsalted butter (1¼ sticks), room temperature

½ cup sugar

1 large egg

3 tablespoons orange juice

½ teaspoon vanilla

1 jar strawberry preserves

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the egg and beat until just incorporated.
2. Add the juice and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
3. Gradually add the flour mixture until well incorporated. You may wish to transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead it until smooth, but this is not necessary.
4. Divide the dough into 2 balls and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease two cookie sheets, so you can prepare one while the other bakes.
6. Remove one of the balls of dough from the fridge and roll out on a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin to about ⅛ inch thick. (Or you can roll out the dough between two sheets of plastic.) Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass, cut out rounds. Re-roll any scraps.
7. Spoon a heaping teaspoon full of jam into the center of each round of pastry. Using your fingers, pinch the edges of the dough together around the filling to form a triangle. Pinch the edges tightly at each corner so that the filling stays in the cookie.
8. Place the hamantaschen about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets.
9. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until very lightly brown or golden. Cool them on the sheets 5 minutes and then move to wire racks to cool completely.
10. Repeat with the remaining dough until all the cookies are baked.

KOSHER CAIPIRINHA

Purim is a celebration and, trust us, no one knows how to celebrate like Brazilians. In fact, Purim has been compared to both Mardi Gras and Brazil’s Carnaval for its festivities and joyous celebration. So, in the spirit of our Jewish-Brazilian family (see the Carneiro side), we present a Purim cocktail that is guaranteed to inspire good times. Just be careful and responsible, Cachaça is not for the lightweight drinker! Seriously. (Warning: To incorporate her husband’s background into an otherwise traditional Jewish ceremony, Andrea and Gil served these delicious drinks to a restaurant full of non-Brazilians at their wedding. Chaos ensued.)

MAKES: 1 DRINK

1 lime

4 teaspoons sugar (or 2½ packets Splenda or other artificial sweetener)

1 ounce kosher Cachaça (or kosher vodka)

Ice cubes

1. Cut the lime in half lengthwise and squeeze the juice from each half into a glass, using a lime squeezer.
2. Take the remnants of the lime and cut each side in half and then into thirds, and add them to the glass.
3. Add the sugar (or Splenda). You can add more or less sugar depending on personal preference.
4. Use a masher or wooden spoon to mash the sugar into the lime wedges as you stir.
5. Eyeball the amount of liquid now in the glass, and add a little less Cachaça than that amount.
6. Use your masher to continue mashing the ingredients while stirring.
7. Fill the glass with ice and let the drink sit for a few minutes to chill.

* You can use anything from a tumbler to a highball to a goblet to make this drink, but be sure your glass has a thick bottom and plenty of room for ice.

* Caipirinhas (and Caipiroskas) are best when very cold, so as your ice melts, continue to add more ice to keep your drink cold.

* You can substitute kosher vodka for Cachaça if you like, and the Caipirinha becomes a Caipiroska!