Latke–Hamantash Debate facts for kids
The Latke–Hamantash Debate is a funny and playful academic debate. It's all about deciding which is better: a latke or a hamantash! These are two popular foods in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine. The debate started at the University of Chicago in 1946 and happens every year. Other universities now hold their own versions too. Famous people like university presidents, philosophers, Nobel Prize winners, and writers have taken part. A book about the debate, which has never had a clear winner, was published in 2005.
Contents
What Are Latkes and Hamantashen?
A latke is a type of potato pancake. People traditionally eat latkes during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. They are fried in oil to remember a miracle where a small amount of oil lasted for eight days in the ancient temple.
Hamantashen are triangular baked pastries made from wheat flour, usually with a sweet filling. They are traditionally eaten on the holiday of Purim. Their shape is said to represent the ears or the three-cornered hat of Haman, who was the bad guy in the Purim story from the Bible.
History of the Debate
The first Latke–Hamantash Debate happened in 1946 at the University of Chicago. It was organized by the Hillel Foundation, a Jewish student organization.
After the debate, both latkes and hamantashen are usually served. This gives everyone a chance to taste them and decide for themselves!
At the University of Chicago, there are some special rules for the debate:
- The debaters must have a Ph.D. or a similar advanced degree.
- They are encouraged to use the special language of their academic field.
- Participants must wear their formal academic regalia, which are special robes and hats.
- At least one debater must not be Jewish.
Funny Arguments and Debates
People from many different school subjects take part in the debate. Here are some of the funny arguments they've made:
- A philosophy professor named Ted Cohen once said that a world without hamantashen would be "wretched" or "unbearable." But, he concluded, "A world without latkes is unthinkable."
- Hanna Gray, a former university president, talked about why the famous writer Niccolò Machiavelli never mentioned latkes or hamantashen. She joked that since "The silence of a wise man is always meaningful," Machiavelli must have been Jewish and preferred latkes!
- Isaac Abella, a physics professor, argued that asking "Which is Better: the Latke or the Hamantash?" isn't a fair question. He said it's too specific to one culture and doesn't apply to everyone.
- Michael Silverstein, a professor of anthropology, linguistics, and psychology, pointed out that the letters on a Dreidel (a spinning top played with during Hanukkah) spell out "T-U-M-S" in English. He used this as "proof" that even God cares about these foods!
- Wendy Doniger, a divinity school professor, wrote a paper saying that hamantashen are like a "womb" and were worshipped in ancient societies led by women.
- At MIT, a science dean named Robert J. Silbey looked at Google search results. He found that "latke" had way more hits than "hamantaschen." He also joked that latkes, not hamantashen, might be the mysterious dark matter that makes up much of the universe!
- Economist Milton Friedman once discussed the foods in a football setting, calling his talk "The Latke and the Hamantash at the Fifty-Yard Line."
- Criminal lawyer and professor Alan Dershowitz joked that latkes make the United States use more oil.
- At Johns Hopkins University, professors Jonathan Flombaum and Hollis Robbins argued for the latke. They said it was a better holiday food because it was more "joyous" and "diverse."
- A particle physicist at MIT, Allan Adams, even presented "data" from the "Latke Hamantash Collider" to support "Latke Theory."
- When he was president of Princeton University, Harold Tafler Shapiro argued that hamantashen were better because of their "edible triangle" shape, connecting it to famous stories.
- In a debate about law, participants have quoted a Supreme Court case that mentioned latkes as a traditional Hanukkah food. The court has never mentioned hamantashen!
- At the 2014 University of Chicago debate, Chemistry professor Aaron Dinner argued that latkes are eight times more energy-efficient than hamantashen.
- A professor of computer science, Raphael Finkel, noted that old Jewish religious writings talk a lot about latkes, but hardly ever about hamantashen.
- Because one debate at St. Mary's College of Maryland was close to Passover, Professor Josh Grossman first tried to argue for matzo (another Jewish food). But he quickly changed his mind!
Debates at Other Schools
The Latke–Hamantash Debate is now held at many other universities and places, including:
- University of Denver
- Brandeis University
- University of Wisconsin
- University of Michigan
- Harvard University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Princeton University
- Williams College
- University of Minnesota
- Mount Holyoke
- Graduate Theological Union
- Bowdoin College
- University of Connecticut
- Swarthmore College
- University of South Florida
- Jewish Study Center, Washington, DC
