Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. joined local Jewish leaders to celebrate the holiday of Purim with a unique food crawl.
In partnership with Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY), Richards led a hamantaschen crawl through Queens to commemorate the holiday and foster unity within the Jewish community.
Purim, also known as the “Feast of Lots,” celebrates the survival of the Jewish people in ancient Persia, as described in the Book of Esther.
A central tradition of Purim is the eating of hamantaschen cookies—triangular pastries made from buttery dough and filled with poppy seeds, jam, fruit, or chocolate. These cookies symbolize Jewish resilience during the religious persecution of Haman, the leader of the ancient Persian empire.
Council Member Shekar Krishnan joined Treyger at the beginning of the food crawl, where they delivered hamantaschen-filled Purim food baskets dubbed “mishloach manot” to community members at the Jackson Heights-based Queens Center for Gay Seniors. The mishloach manot are gifts of food and drinks sent to family, friends, and others on Purim.
Following the delivery to community members, Treyger and Richards welcomed UJA-Federation Government Relations VP Dan Rosenthal for a taste-testing of hamantaschen from Queens Pita Bakery, Seasons, and Aron’s Kissena Farms.
Queens Pita Bakery, located at 6834 Main St, Kew Gardens Hills, is hailed as one of the best Kosher bakeries in the city. The bakery offers a wide range of Kosher delicacies, including fluffy challah bread, rugelach, cookies, and other baked goods.
Meanwhile, Seasons, located at 68-18 Main St, Flushing, is a robust full-service Josher market offering sushi, baked goods, prepared foods, meat, fish, flowers, and more.
Finally, Aron’s Kissena Farms is a Kosher supermarket in Queens that offers an upscale shopping experience at affordable prices. It has a wide range of food departments, including a sushi menu, hot and cold offerings, freshly made meat, and side dishes. Aron’s Kissena Farms is located at 72-15 Kissena Blvd.
The trio spoke with owners and staff about the history of each bakery, the meaning of Purim, and the importance of sharing Jewish customs and traditions with other New Yorkers.
Richards shared that Purim is a beloved holiday for the Jewish community, adding that the best way to get ready for it is by sampling hamantaschen cookies made by some of the borough’s top Kosher bakeries. “Queens Pita, Seasons, and Aron’s Kissena Farms all excel at baking these tasty, triangular-shaped, filled-pocket cookies that are a cherished symbol of the resilience of the Jewish people. I hope all Queens residents who are celebrating Purim will be able to enjoy some yummy hamantaschen with friends and family this year,” he said.
“There’s no better way to celebrate Purim than with a delicious hamantaschen crawl through some of Queens’ beloved kosher spots. As an avid baker and in the spirit of welcoming guests, JCRC-NY’s guiding vision this year, I believe that food is a powerful way to bring communities together and share the richness of Jewish culture. Thank you to the Queens Borough President, Council Member Krishnan, and the incredible business owners who hosted us for making this a festive and meaningful celebration,” said Mark Treyger, CEO of JCRC-NY.
