The 130 Operation Hamantaschen volunteers did everything they were asked, and more, at the March 6 communitywide “make and bake” program held at the Simon Family JCC. Including the tasting.
Quality control wasn’t part of the volunteer description publicized by presenters of the annual event: the Young Adult Division of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater and the Simon Family JCC Children and Family Department. But it was important to many who helped make the traditional cookies eaten during the Jewish festival of Purim.
The event’s purpose, after all, was to send boxes of the goodies to Jewish U.S. members of the military deployed abroad or stationed away from their homes to let them know they are thought of and appreciated.
So tasting became one of the jobs for volunteers, along with rolling out cookie dough, dropping fruit filling in the center, shaping the cookies into triangles, decorating small boxes, writing notes of thanks, and finally packaging the sweets.
The consensus of those who were committed to sampling the product: outstanding exterior and a sweet interior. A perfect way to let the troops know the Tidewater Jewish community and its friends are supportive and grateful for the sacrifices made to protect America’s freedoms.
“We made enough dough for more than 1,000 hamantaschen, and we’re going to make sure that every service member who has requested some gets a box from us,” says Stephanie Steerman, event chair.
If all goes as planned, the Operation Hamantaschen packages should be received in time for the holiday. To see more photos from the event, visit www.facebook.com/simonfamilyj.
by Laine Mednick Rutherford