Cast Call! Get out the grease paint. CTI’s Purimshpiel is coming to your Zoom screens on Thursday, Feb. 25, at 7:30 p.m. Next stop: Broadway. Hey, ya never know…

Rabbi Gadi promises a wild shpiel. But he needs help. Starring roles in his dramatic tale of heroism and sweet revenge await all actors and over-actors. No screen test required. Here’s how to snag a part in this Purim playlet: Call the synagogue at 631-477-0232 and leave a message for the Rabbi, letting him know you’re ready for your closeup, and are willing to be one of the chosen. (We are the chosen people, right?)

And remember, it is Purim, so be sure to lay in a supply of hamantaschen for the holiday. For the best of the best, you’ll need Phil Goldman’s Secret (no longer) Recipe, which The Shofar has wrested from the Kitchen King of Christopher Street on the promise that you will shred the sacred document immediately after use.

 

Phil Goldman’s Hamantaschen

1 cup butter (2 sticks) at room temperature

1 cup sugar or sugar substitute, like Xylitol

4 eggs

½ cup orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

Zest of an orange (2 if small)

2 tsp. baking powder

5 cups unbleached flour

Fillings: choice of almond, apricot, poppy, prune, raspberry, cherry, strawberry

 

  1. Cream butter and sugar, and add eggs, one at a time, while mixing
  2. Add orange juice and vanilla, and continue mixing
  3. Add flour and baking powder; mix until dough releases from sides of bowl and forms a ball
  4. Refrigerate dough for an hour; roll out on pastry board or pastry cloth, about 1/8-inch thick
  5. Cut circles (an upside-down glass works well), about 3 inches in diameter.
  6. Fill each circle of dough with about a teaspoon of filling.
  7. Fold two sides together, and bring up the third side to form a triangle; pinch to prevent leaks
  8. Optional, brush with a beaten egg to obtain shine
  9. Bake 16 minutes (or until light golden brown) at 350 degrees on a parchment paper-lined or lightly oiled sheet pan
  10. Remove from pan. Cool, and enjoy. Happy Purim.