CIJR | Canadian Institute for Jewish Research
L'institut Canadien de Recherches sur le Judaisme

Analysis

How the Star of David and Earmuffs Were Really Discovered: A Purim Fable for Our Time

Hamantashen served dusted with powdered sugar- Wikipedia
Hamantashen served dusted with powdered sugar- Wikipedia

By Allan M. Levine, Ph.D.
Purim 2025

Once upon a Purim Eve—not too long ago but certainly before gluten-free pastries took over—the streets of a bustling Jewish neighborhood were alive with merriment, mischief, and the scent of freshly baked, 3-cornered hamentashen (hamentash – singular).

Two Jews, rushing home with oversized, triangular hamentashen the size of small pillows, collided at the corner of Mitzvah and Mazel Streets. It was a truly epic snack attack.

Miraculously, neither man was injured. But their pastries? Oy! They smooshed together in such a way that what emerged was no longer triangular—it was a perfect six-pointed star.

One of the men was named David. Naturally, they looked at each other, nodded solemnly, and declared, “It’s a sign!”
Thus, the Star of David (in pastry form) was born.

News of this  “Great Pastry Collision” spread faster than a rumor at synagogue. Soon, it became a new Purim tradition: on the eve of the holiday, Jews would greet each other by bumping giant, three-cornered pastries together with joyful enthusiasm. If a few managed to form a star, all the better. Bonus points if you didn’t get the pastry filling on your coat.

Now, not all fillings were created equal. Apricot and prune tended to squish, raspberry left you looking like you’d been in a knife fight, but poppy seed—ah, poppy seed!—stayed put. Thus, “mohn” poppy seed became the favored filling among the well-dressed and many others..

Still, even joyous collisions have their risks. After a few black eyes and one lawsuit later, a new tradition evolved. Instead of hamentashen jousting in the streets, neighbors began sending each other little baskets or plates (a custom now known as mishloach manot) filled with snacks and mini 3 -cornered filled pastries. Fewer bruises. More sugar. Everyone wins.

Now, this might be enough for one Purim fable, but wait—there’s more (over). 

                  

Another Jewish culinary icon, the sufganiya—a jelly- or cream-filled donut without a hole (because holes make it less than whole!)—is typically eaten on Chanukah, by Israelis and Jews everywhere.. But during one particularly cold Purim night, a clever neighbor made a discovery that would change Jewish headwear forever.

She had just fried a fresh batch of sufganiyot in her kitchen when she noticed her ears were freezing. Lacking earmuffs and a hat, she did what any logical Jew would do: she took two warm sufganiyot, tied them together with a long noodle (loksh), and placed them over her ears like a divine jelly-donut headset.

Lo and behold: warm ears, moisturized cheeks (thanks to the dripping oil), no chafing in cold or windy weather and the sweet smell of innovation.

And thus, sufganiya earmuffs were born. Delicious, fashionable, and practical—until the neighborhood dogs started chasing you.

And that, dear reader, is how two beloved foods found their way into new, holiday related Jewish traditions—not just as treats, but as symbols of warmth, creativity, and strategic snacking.

Aahhh! What a people! What  fun traditions! What snacks!

A Happy Purim to one and all!

Allan M. Levine, Ph. D., Professor Emeritus Psychology, L. A. Valley College (Ret.),

Jewish Community and Israel-Zionist Activist

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