The best hamentashen in town
2025 Volunteer Appreciation
The project could not exist and proceed without our committee that organizes, plans, and implements all the necessary pieces of the project to keep it flowing and functioning. Charlotte Tevet, Marje Jacobson, Bobbie Cohen, Melissa Cohen, Leslie Petcher, Ingrid Doll, Barbara Weiland, Shira Newman, Judy Freeman, Rebecca Hytowitz.
- Grinding of the fruit and poppy seed for the fillings: Marje Jacobson, Leslie Petcher, Dan Petcher, Isaac Tevet, Judy Freeman.
- Making of the dough: Candi Swan, Sandi Larson
- Kitchen: Marje Jacobson, Judy Hoffman, Chaim Solgan
- Knipping and Filling: Melissa Cohen, Ruth McAdam, Lowell Lebenzon
- Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip: Linda Singer
- Packing: Isaac Tevet
- Bookkeeping and Order Management: Ingrid Stram, Barbara Weiland, Laurie Tran
- Volunteering Coordinator: Rebecca Hytowitz
- Tech Support: Amber Kurson
- Regulars – Helping multiple times: Barry Benson, Karla Benson, Richard Burd, Bobbie Cohen Lynne Cohen, Melissa Cohen, Mitch Cohen, Phil Cohen, Linda Davis, Allison Fowler, Judy Freeman, Marje Jacobson, Judy Hoffman, Lowell Lebenzon, Ruth McAdam, Gary McAdam, Allison Mudrick, Leslie Petcher, Chaim Solgan, Ingrid Stram, Charlotte Tevet, Isaac Tevet, Laurie Tran, Sue Viselman, Barbara Weiland, Dave Weinstock, Carol Wong, Howard Zidell, Diane Zidell.
- More Volunteers – Heather Anderson, Joe Anderson, Robin Bacon-Shone, David Balto, Molly Baum, Mimi Berlin, Eva Celnik, Roz Cooper, Myles Erika Crow, Linda Davis, Kris Demien, Annette Demsey, Ken Epstein, Barbara Erlich, Karen Fletcher, Sharon Flock, Paula Freedman, Ian Freeman, Jay Gilbert, Lynnae Glaeseman, Carolyn Gorin, Sam Gottlieb, Eileen Hamner, Randi Hillinger, Vivian Hou, Sandie Huppin, Rebecca Hytowitz, Dave Hytowitz, Jakob Ivri, Yohan Ivri, Madeline Jepson, Susan Kaller, Jennifer Karlson, Brenda Katz, Amy Kaufman, Sharah Keenan, Susan Kaller, Andrea Kreiner, Serina Leedy, Monique Levi, Diana Lindeman, Anna Lyman, Jenny Mackie, Jacob Mackie, Joe Marden, Sam Marden, Phil Newman, Shira Newman, Yaiara Oren, Jackie Pelner-Frankle, Sue Perkel, Elisabeth Peterson, Bonnie Quintero, Melanie Raies, Michael Rappaport, Sylvia Richman, Curtis Roth, Shaun Russell, Sandy Samuel, Ann Sanderson, Katherine Sangi, Joni Scheib, Rose Schneier, Mort Simon, Kenzie Soelberg, Ruth Steckel, Roz Stein, Trudi Stone, Lilly Tevet, Sofia Tevet, Julia Toub, Joyce Toub, Leora Troper, Ed Viselman, Lia Wallon, Phil Walters, Kelsy Warren, Linda Weiner, Peter Weiss, Charmaine Worthy.
The Hamentashen project
History of the Project
In the 1950s, Sisterhood began its most famous fundraiser, the baking of hamentaschen, and in its first year sold 100 dozen. In the warm, noisy kitchen, experienced cooks teach the novices how to roll dough, shape balls of fruit, knip, egg wash, bake, and pack. In past years, our Sisterhood made over 2,500 dozen with the help of over 100 volunteers. They are shipped all over the world.
Congregation Shaarie Torah’s tradition of making Hamentashen for Purim was featured in the Wall Street Journal! Read the article and watch the accompanying video here.
Excerpt from 2014 Wall Street Journal Article
“‘We have records for every dough we’ve made since 1980,’ says Marje Jacobson, 73, who wears a T-shirt emblazoned with the title “Dough-Maven.” Mrs. Jacobson’s hamentaschen debut was in 1961.
Frieda Cohen, 93, has a hamentaschen streak dating back to 1948. ‘As far as I’m concerned, the knipping is the hardest,; she says, solemnly. ‘Turning a circular piece of dough into a triangular cookie is a very deliberative process.’
To say the Shaarie Torah Sisterhood rules the Purim pastry business here is an understatement. To say it has intimidated rival Portland temples to back off is not.”
