It is one of those disputes that has raged for centuries and flares up all over the globe. It cuts to the heart of many issues, questioning faith and, in the opinion of some, the very essence of the universe. Which Jewish delicacy is better tasting: Latkas or Hamantashens?
The most recent iteration of this age-old conflict took place on our very own campus at Tuesday's annual staging of the Latka-Hamantashen Debate, a disputation that seeks to identify which holiday food tastes better. This year, the contest plumbed the depths of western art, Irish epics, Chinese literature, and theoretical physics.
The side of the latka — the deep-fried potato pancake traditionally eaten during Chanukah — was taken up by Professor Michael Doran of the Near Eastern Studies department and Netti Minsker '04, who will be concentrating in Chinese literature.
They began their assault on the hamantashen, the triangular jelly pastries eaten on Purim, which occurs on this year on February 26, by questioning its etymology. Hamantashen are known in Hebrew as "Oznei Haman," which translates to Haman's ears (Haman is the villain of the Purim story).
Doran equated the practice of eating ears, even in pastry form, to the less savory qualities of boxer Mike Tyson. He also noted that Vincent Van Gogh painted the "Potato Eaters," but was not so kind to his ear—which he severed.
Minsker expounded on the "evilness" of triangles, citing the infamous Bermuda Triangle amongst others.
The pro-hamantashen position was ably presented by Professor John Fleming of the English department and mathematics major Erez Lieberman '02.
After admitting to having never consumed either food prior to the debate, Fleming regaled the audience with his praise of the hamantashen, while denigrating the "quotidian . . . latka."
Lieberman awed the crowd by explaining that hamantashen are intimately bound up with the fundamental fabric of the universe, down to the sub-atomic "quarkentashen"—up, down, top, bottom, strange and prune.
The audience voted by applause and the hamantashen team was declared victorious.
Event organizer Orly Lieberman '04 felt the debate was helpful in clearing up these complicated matters.
"I worked hard to put together a panel of experts that could thoroughly investigate the issues."
In the end, it was an informative and entertaining time for participants and audience members alike.
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