By Rabbi Rachel Esserman
When Broome Developmental Center held Jewish holiday parties, one of the staff requested that we have latkes for every Jewish celebration. I told him no because, even as much as I love latkes, that food belongs to Hanukkah. Even though we no longer hold those parties, one staff person regularly asks when Purim is coming so he can have his hamantaschen. It’s become a running joke as I tell him how many months he has to wait. (To be fair, you can now find hamantaschen in stores at other times of the year. However, I refuse to buy and/or eat them except during Purim.) Never before, though, have I had people want to have both foods served at the same holiday event.
The arrangements had been made for a Hanukkah lunch at one of the day programs that I visit for my chaplaincy work. The meal was to feature latkes and salad. When I arrived, I learned one of the two classrooms involved had requested a specific dessert: hamantaschen. I was surprised since I never think of combining the two at one meal. And, when it comes to the hamantaschen versus latkes debate, I come down firmly on the side of latkes. (I can easily live without most hamantaschen, but will not turn down a chance to eat latkes.)
The person telling me this looked to see what my reaction would be and, of course, I said that was unexpected, but fine. I think she was relieved because she’d already made the dough for the cookies. I was just glad that people liked the hamantaschen enough to want to eat it again.
The latkes were a huge success and we shared them with other folks in the building. We never did eat the hamantaschen – at least, not while I was there. There wasn’t time to fill and cook them before I had to leave. I wouldn’t have turned one down, but, at least, this way, I didn’t have to confuse which food went with which holiday. At least, if they request this next year, it won’t come as a surprise! But maybe it’s time to introduce them to sufganiyot (Israeli doughnuts). Of course, then we might be eating those on Purim, too!