The Meaning Behind Purim Hamantaschen

There’s a common saying that Jewish holidays can be summed up as “They tried to kill us, we survived, let’s eat.” It certainly holds true for Purim, when the evil Haman tried to convince the king of Persia to kill all his Jewish subjects — a plan that was thwarted by the queen who, unbeknownst to the king, happened to be Jewish. So why the hamantaschen? One tradition says it represents Haman’s ear; another, his three-cornered hat. A more recent interpretation goes below the belt and, citing the young (read: fertile) Queen Esther, claims the filled pastry pocket is none other than a uterus. After watching the video, use the prompts below to learn more and get your students thinking.

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