ThePort Jewish Centerwill fill its kitchens with flour, sugar and the smell of freshly baked hamantaschen during its annual Hamantasch-A-Thon on Sunday, March 1, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The communitywide celebration of Purim at the Port Washington Jewish Center will feature hands-on baking sessions for all ages, along with storytelling and festive drinks.
Rabbi Alysa Mendelson Graf said the event reflects her broader goal of engaging the senses to create lasting Jewish memories.
“My goal as a rabbi is to create Jewish opportunities for people to really use all of their senses in experiencing Jewish life,” she said. “That’s why I bake fresh challah for our Friday night services and for our religious school students. I want our building to smell like Jewish life.”
It quickly expanded into an open invitation for the broader Port Washington community, including those not affiliated with a synagogue and those who are not Jewish.
The day’s schedule includes themed sessions designed to bring generations together.
At 11 a.m., “Bubbe & Me” encourages grandparents, grandchildren and extended family members, or anyone seeking an intergenerational experience, to bake side by side. Organizers say they will help pair participants if needed for the hourlong session.
At 1 p.m., “Margarita & Me” offers adults the chance to bake while enjoying a cocktail or mocktail in the spirit of the holiday.
Purim commemorates the biblical story of Queen Esther, who finds the courage to speak out and save her people. Mendelson Graf said the holiday’s themes remain deeply relevant.
“The hero of the Purim story is Esther, who struggles to find the courage to use her voice,” she said. “It shows that it’s not always easy, but it’s imperative. There’s joy in this holiday, and there’s also obligation, the obligation to use your voice to change the world.”
Source: LI Press
