Sign In Forgot Password

The Rosenfeld Family's Purim Recipes

In 1972, Mishkon member Ginni Rosenfeld and her family were featured in an article from the Asbury Park Press about Purim.

Rugalach Recipe
A popular pastry served on holidays is rugalach, and Mrs. Rosenfeld has a quick and easy recipe.
 
Ingredients
¾ pound soft sweet butter
3  ounce package of soft cream cheese
1  cup flour
4  tablespoons of cinnamon and sugar mixed
8  tablespoons brown sugar
½ cup chopped walnuts
    raisins

Directions
Mix butter and cheese. Add flour. Divide dough in half, and roll each piece in a ball. Place in wax paper, flatten, and refrigerate at least one hour. (Dough may be frozen for later use if desired).
On a floured board, roll each ball of dough until it is 10 inches in diameter. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture on each circle, then sprinkle the brown sugar. Cut each circle in fourths, then divide each fourth into three pieces. A total of 12 pieces per circle. Put three raisins on the wide end of each of the 12 sections. Sprinkle nuts, and roll each section, beginning with the wide end.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or until lightly brown. Yields 21 pieces.
 
 
Sweetbreads Recipe
For an unusual addition to a holiday meal, Mrs. Rosenfeld provides her recipe for sweetbreads.
 
Ingredients
1  minced medium onion
1  tablespoon chicken fat or oil
¼ cup sliced mushrooms
½ chicken livers cut in bite-size pieces
1  teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
    dash pepper
2  tablespoons flour
1  cup broth
½ sweetbreads
 
Directions
Saute onion and mushrooms in chicken fat or oil. Add chicken livers, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and flour. Saute 10 minutes.
Place sweetbreads in boiling water for five minutes, then peel off membranes. Add sweetbreads and broth to mixture, and cook 45 minutes.
Serve on challah that has been spread with parve margarine.
 

Preparations Begin for Joyous Purim
Asbury Park Evening Press, Thurs, Feb 24, 1972
 

Hissing, stamping, banging on pots and shaking noisemakers, normally unacceptable behavior, will be encouraged at synagogues Monday night.

Sundown marks the beginning of the most joyous Jewish holiday, Purim, which Iasts 43 hours.
 
Each time the name Haman, an enemy of the Jews, is read from the Megillah, (a scroll containing the book of Esther) the congregation is expected to create a thunder of noise, drowning out his name.
 
Aside from feasting, drinking and making costumes and masks, it is customary to prepare plates of fruit and cakes for friends and neighbors.
 
Dr. and Mrs. Gerald Rosenfeld, and their three children, Ginni, Aaron, and David, have begun preparations for the festivities.
 
Aaron made a mask from brown paper bag in his nursery class at the Hillel School, Ocean Township. He has also made a groger (noisemaker) by stapling two paper plates together with beans between them.
 
Mrs. Rosenfeld. who will serve dinner to 13 people Monday night, hopes to have chicken soup with matzah balls, sweetbreads, apple sauce, rugalach, (pastry) and chocolate chip" cookies prepared in advance.
 
The main course is turkey with roasted potatoes and a fresh vegetable. Dessert will consist of a variety of pastries, Including, humantashen, (a three cornered pastry served on Purim) with tea.
 
Ginni, a third grader at the Hillel School, eagerly explained the meaning of the holiday.
 
"Purim means "lots" in Hebrew," she said. "Haman, the prime minister of Persia wanted to put all the Jews to death because they wouldn't bow down to him. They would only worship God." she added. "So with the king's approval, Haman drew lots to see which day was the best to kill all the Jews. The 13 day of Adar, (a Jewish month), was selected." she concluded
 
Mrs. Rosenfeld further explained that King Ahasuerus executed his queen, Vashti because of her disobedience. He chose a Jewish maiden, Esther, as his new queen.
 
In time Esther gained influence with the king and was able to persuade him to nullify Haman's order. In the end Haman was executed on a 50 foot gallow he had built for Esther's cousin, Mordecal. To celebrate the victory, Jews congregate in synagogues to hear the Megillah read at sundown on the first night of Purim and again the following morning.
 
 

Sat, October 5 2024 3 Tishrei 5785