Window International Network

WindowKids™ February 2010 Edition

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Israel and Purim

Shalom, Prayer Warriors!

I hope you are doing well as we are one month into the New Year – 2010!

Actually, not everyone in the world follows our calendar. In fact, there are several cultures that follow different calendars. The 10/40 Window nation of Israel, for instance, follows the Gregorian calendar. They hold special feasts throughout the year that correspond to that timetable.

In the next several weeks, Jews will celebrate a feast known as Purim. This holiday is a time to remember God’s love and care for the Jewish people.

What is Purim all about?

The story of Purim comes from the Old Testament Book of Esther. Interestingly, God’s Name is not mentioned in Esther. Not even once! Yet it tells of God’s faithfulness to the Jews.

In Esther, we are introduced to a man named Haman. Haman hated the Jews. He was a leader in Persia who served under King Xerxes and came up with an evil plan to wipe out the entire Jewish race.

A Jewish man named Mordecai was one of the main reasons Haman devised the plan to kill the Jews. Mordecai helped his teenage cousin, Esther, become the Queen of Persia. When Mordecai learned about Haman’s plot, he asked Esther to do something – to speak to the king on behalf of the Jews. Queen (Esther had to make a difficult decision. She could either stay silent and protect her position, or she could talk to the king and risk losing not only her status as queen, but her life!

What would you do if you had to make that choice?

Esther made the right decision, standing up for God’s people, and said, “If I perish, I perish.” She revealed her Jewish heritage to King Xerxes and told him about Haman’s wicked plan. The king responded by ordering Haman to be executed.

In the end, Mordecai was honored by the King, Esther was still the queen and the Jews were spared.

The Feast of Purim reminds the Jewish people that God is always at work, even if it is sometimes “behind the scenes.” Our God is faithful and He loves his people very much.

“Greggers”- a Purim Tradition and Craft

One common tradition of Purim is to create noisemakers called “greggers.” These loud toys are used whenever the name of Haman is spoken during the reading of the story of Esther.

Why do you think the Jews cover up the name of Haman with noise? In the Bible, we learn that Haman’s ancestors, the Amalekites, were the enemies of Israel. God cursed the Amalekites hundreds of years before Esther and Mordecai’s time. In fact, God said the name Amalek would be cursed forever (The Holy Bible, Exodus 17:14, 16).

Part of the Purim celebration is to make sure Haman’s name is never heard again!

Israel Today

Friends, praying for the nation of Israel is not just a good idea. It is a Biblical idea and a commandment of God. (The Holy Bible, Psalm122) So let’s obey God by praying for the peace of Jerusalem and protection for God’s people. Let’s also pray for Messianic Jews (Jews who believe Jesus is the Messiah) living in Israel and other places in the 10/40 Window.

Violence towards Messianic Jews has been increasing. So pray for God’s supernatural covering and comfort for these Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Pray for the Lord to give them boldness and opportunities to share the Good News of the Kingdom of God with their families and neighbors.

Purim is a great time to think about God’s protection and care for His people. He is faithful and loving and He watches over us like a shepherd watching over a flock of sheep. He is our Good Shepherd.

Resource: “Such a Curse: A Messianic Look at Purim,” January 1, 1993, http://jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/8_7/suchacurse

Recipe for Hamentaschen

2/3 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup orange juice (the smooth kind, not the pulpy)
1 cup white flour
1 cup wheat flour (DO NOT substitute white flour! The wheat flour is necessary to achieve the right texture)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
Various preserves, fruit butters and/or pie fillings.

Blend butter and sugar thoroughly. Add the egg and blend thoroughly. Add orange juice and blend thoroughly. Add flour, 1/2 cup at a time, alternating white and wheat, blending thoroughly between each. Add the baking powder and cinnamon with the last half cup of flour. Refrigerate batter overnight or at least a few hours. Roll as thin as you can without getting holes in the batter (roll it between two sheets of wax paper lightly dusted with flour for best results). Cut out 3 or 4 inch circles.

Proper folding of Hamentaschen

Put a dollop of filling in the middle of each circle. Fold up the sides to make a triangle, folding the last corner under the starting point, so that each side has a corner that folds over and a corner that folds under (see picture at right). Folding in this “pinwheel” style will reduce the likelihood that the last side will fall open while cooking, spilling out the filling. It also tends to make a better triangle shape.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown but before the filling boils over!

Traditional fillings are poppy seed and prune, but apricot, apple butter, pineapple preserves, and cherry pie filling and even Nutella all work quite well. The number of cookies this recipe makes depends on the size of your cutting tool and the thickness you roll.

Resource: http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday9.htm