Purim

Mason Jar Salad with Purim Croutons: A Simple Purim Mishloach Manos Wow

mason jar arugula salad0finished with tag

 

Purim is coming!  One of the mitzvos (commandments) unique to the Jewish holiday of Purim is to deliver gifts of food, called Mishloach Manos, to friends and family. The parameters of this mitzvah require each Jewish adult to send a minimum of two ready-to-eat-foods to at least one person.

I like to send Mishloach Manos that are nutritious and can be served at the Purim seudah, the festive meal served on Purim day.   One of my favorite ideas for  Mishloach Manos are mason jar salads served with croutons.  They  are simple to prepare in advance,  easy to package and are well-received by our recipients.

Mason Jars allow for preparing salad up to two days in advance and are really just an upside down salad. The dressing lays on the bottom of the jar and the salad is layered with the heaviest and wettest ingredients on bottom, working up to lighter ingredients with the salad greens at the top of the mason jar.  It is important to keep the mason jar upright until ready to serve so that the delicate greens are protected from the dressing on the bottom.

Once ready to serve, simply shake the salad vigorously and decant into a bowl.

 mason jar arugula salad

The croutons can me made from leftover bread or challah.  It is a great way to use up leftover bread and challah that you have stored in the freezer.  The mason jars themselves are useful to those receiving them and can be reused in a myriad of different ways.

 

The source for Mishloach Manos is read on Purim from the Purim Megillah, the scroll chronicling the story of Purim in Hebrew.   After the Purim victory , Mordechai, the hero of the Purim narrative,  ordered his fellow Jews ” to make the fourteenth day of the month of Adar… feasting and joy, and sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.”

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Five Simple Tips to Keep the Wow in Purim

Tzippy Respler

Adar II, 5776

the Purim Grinch

For years, I had been remarking that Purim is more stressful for me than Pesach (Passover).  Most people scoff when they hear that.   I had become the Purim Grinch, especially because the Holiday of Purim is one that is based upon fun, joy and goodwill.

I get that.  But for me, the issue was that so much on Purim must be accomplished in a mere twenty-four hours.   Within the short day of Purim, we are commanded to listen to the Megillah (scrolled story of Purim) twice,  to give Matanos L’evyonim (gifts to the poor) and to prepare and deliver Mishloach Manos (edible portions) to others. Costumes must be made and adjusted.  A Seudah (festive meal) must be prepared and eaten.  Oh, and Purim falls out right on the heels of a fast day, Taanes Esther.

While so many women tend to stress over Pesach, I find Pesach so much easier to master. Yes, the house needs to become chometz-free and special  foods, utensils and dishes must be used.  Yes, the Seder must be set and it continues into the  wee hours of the morning. But, Pesach can be as relaxing as you allow it to be and it is simple to relegate the Pesach cleaning to only ridding the house of chometz (leavened food).  Pesach has order.  Pesach has structure.  Pesach is pure.  Pesach is clean.

Purim on the other hand can be messy.   (more…)

Mason Jar Mishloach Manos: Soup with Purim Croutons

Purim is coming!  One of the mitzvos (commandments) unique to the Jewish holiday of Purim is to deliver gifts of food, called Mishloach Manos, to friends and family. The parameters of this mitzvah require each Jewish adult to send a minimum of two ready-to-eat-foods to at least one person.

I like to send Mishloach Manos that are nutritious and can be served at the Purim seudah, the festive meal served on Purim day.   One of my favorite ideas for  Mishloach Manos are mason jar soups served with croutons.  They  are simple to prepare in advance,  easy to package and are well-received by our recipients.  The croutons can me made from leftover bread or challah.  It is a great way to use up leftover bread and challah that you have stored in the freezer.  The mason jars themselves are useful to those receiving them and can be reused in a myriad of different ways.

mason jar MM feature photo

The source for Mishloach Manos is read on Purim from the Megillah, the scroll chronicling the story of Purim in Hebrew.   After the Purim victory , Mordechai, the hero of the Purim narrative,  ordered his fellow Jews ” to make the fourteenth day of the month of Adar… feasting and joy, and sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.”

(more…)

Robot Mishloach Manos: a Robot-Themed Purim with Printables

My daughter, Kaitlyn, created a Robot-themed Purim. Each member of the family dressed up as a robot and she created Mishloach Manos to fit the theme. It was simple and it was a wow.

I asked her to share a picture of the robot-themed bags and the printable designs.

 

robot mishloach manos

One of the mitzvos (commandments) unique to the Jewish holiday of Purim is to deliver gifts of food, called Mishloach Manos, to friends and family. The parameters of this mitzvah require each Jewish adult to send a minimum of two ready-to-eat-foods to at least one person.

The source for this lovely mitzvah is from the Purim Megillah, the scroll detailing the story of Purim read on the Purim Holiday in Hebrew.   It is chronicled after the Purim victory that  Mordechai, the hero of the Purim narrative,  ordered his fellow Jews ” to make the fourteenth day of the month of Adar… feasting and joy, and sending portions one to another, and gifts to the poor.”

(more…)

Robot Costume…Fashioned from Dollar Store Finds

 

robot costume

My daughter, Kaitlyn, creates the cutest costumes ever!  This is one of my favorites.  This robot costume is one that she designed for her husband, Aaron, to wear on Purim.

There is a custom to dress up in disguises on Purim to commemorate the events in ancient Persia whereby the Jewish nation was saved from a terrible decree of extermination. Unlike the outright miracles in the Jewish exodus from Egypt commemorated on Passover, the Purim story is one of natural events coordinated in such a way that the “hidden hand” of G-d was evident. We dress up on Purim to commemorate the disguised miracles for the Jewish people in Ancient Persia.

This robot costume is designed entirely out of dollar store and upcycled finds and it is creative, practical and very unique. Kaitlyn scoured her local dollar store for items that she could use for this costume.  You may find other items to use that will create your own robot design. Please feel free to share your own designs.

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