Sharing her mother’s hamantaschen recipe with her community has helped preserve the childhood memories of Jerusalem Post columnist Erin Baser, despite her mother’s primary progressive aphasia (PPA) diagnosis.

Beser recalls how her mother kept her out of the kitchen while cooking, even when preparing for Jewish holidays like Hanukkah or Passover. In the leadup to the holiday of Purim, however, Beser’s mother would always invite her into the kitchen to help make hamantaschen. While baking together, Beser’s mother would share the origin of hamantaschen and why they made them for a holiday.

“The cookies of semi-mysterious origin are core to helping the eater celebrate the Jewish holiday of Purim — a tale told of a villain, Haman, who wanted to destroy the Jewish people in the ancient kingdom of Persia,” Beser writes. “The cookie is the ultimate revenge: Its Yiddish name means ‘Haman’s ears,’ so in the end, it’s us, the Jews, who end up consuming our oppressor, and not the other way around.”

Several years ago, though, Beser noticed that her mother was having difficulty communicating. During a visit to celebrate Rosh Hashanah at Beser’s home in New York City, she saw that her mother couldn’t put into words that she had brought along a special apple cake. During that same visit, Beser notes that her mother also set the table to prepare for Saturday’s day of rest, despite it being a day early.

In 2021, as Beser prepared for Purim, she recalled she hadn’t received texts or emails from her mother in close to a year, aside from a single document.

“Titled ‘Mommy’s Hamantaschen Recipe,’ the document allowed my mother and my son to bake together via FaceTime,” Beser said. “Even though she was on the phone, my mother was laughing and present.”

Beser’s mother was diagnosed with PPA that same year. By the following year, she could not participate in Purim with Beser’s family. However, the opportunity presented itself to keep old memories alive.

As a Jewish educator, Beser was responsible for developing virtual activities for her community during the pandemic. She remarks that the community decided to bake hamantaschen together in a massive Zoom call. Beser sent “Mommy’s Hamantaschen Recipe” to 500 households in Lower Manhattan, sharing the memories with her entire community.

“My mom is still alive, thank goodness, in relatively good health, and I’m thankful every day for that and for my dad, who is her full-time caregiver.” Beser writes. “I try to focus on the fact that she is still here and not to dwell on the parts of her that are missing. And so, as her absolutely delicious recipe gets used once more in countless Jewish homes this year, I am thinking about all of the children who are getting the experience that was a highlight of my childhood: forming hamantaschen that somehow never fall apart, using my mother’s recipe.”

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