Image by JCarrot

(About 16 cookies) These almond-flavored wafers are not an authentic Chinese food, but were created by an enterprising San Francisco restaurateur who was looking for a way to keep his patrons occupied while they waited for the bill. You will need to prepare fortunes on small strips of paper.

To help you get started, here are a few sample sayings:

Happy Purim!

The highest form of wisdom is kindness. -– Talmud Berachot 17a

The beginning of wisdom is to desire it. -– Solomon Ibn Gabirol

Wisdom is to the soul as food is to the body — Abraham Ibn Ezra

Happy is he who performs a good deed; for he may tip the scales for himself and the world. -– Talmud Kiddushin 40:2

A man without friends is like a left hand without a right. -– Ibn Gabriol

6 tablespoons (about 5) egg whites

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1) Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Grease a large baking sheet.

2) In a food processor or blender, process the egg whites for 30 seconds. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. (This may also be done by hand.)

3) Drop by tablespoonfuls, 5-inches apart, onto the prepared baking sheet. (3 to 4 at a time.) Bake until the edges of the cookies begin to color, 13 to 15 minutes.

4) Remove from the oven, immediately place a fortune in the center of each cookie, fold in half, then pinch the ends together, holding for 1 minute to maintain the shape. (If the cookies harden too much to bend, return to the oven for a few moments.) Let cool.

I’m personally matching all gifts to the Forward, up to $36,000. Can I match your gift now?

Hello, fellow Forward reader! I’m Joel Brown, a Forward reader and supporter for more than 15 years, and currently the chair of the board of directors.

I’m an avid Forward reader because it ticks so many of my essential boxes: excellent journalism, Jewish focus and diverse viewpoints. In today’s political climate, what I most appreciate is the Forward’s independence — made possible by the generosity of its membership.

The Forward is committed to bringing you unbiased, nuanced Jewish news. From my position as board chair, I see an exciting future as we expand our position as the definitive independent voice of contemporary American Judaism.

That’s why I’m paying it Forward. I’ve offered a $36,000 matching gift as an investment in the Forward’s newsroom, and I hope you’ll take me up on my offer to double your gift.

Don't just read the Forward - invest in it. Will you support our work today?

— Joel Brown, Forward board chair

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$120 $180 $360 OTHER AMOUNT