Mishloach Manot for Purim -- Reminder

Send Purim greetings to your synagogue friends with a Mishloach Manot gift box from Temple B’nai Abraham for only $3 per greeting!

Mishloach Manot is the practice of sending gifts of food at Purim. From “jewishappleseed.org,”

One of the nicest traditions on Purim is that of giving a gift of food to friends.  This is called “Mishloach Manot” (Mish-LO-ach Ma-NOTE) — the sending of gifts.  This phrase is often shortened to “Shalach Manot” (Sha-LACH Ma-NOTE) or “Shalach Manos” (SHA-lach MA-nos).  According to Jewish law, one should give a gift of two different types of food, one of which is prepared (cooked or baked) to at least one person.  This law is described in the Book of Esther (9:22) as part of the proper celebration of Purim.

The giving of gifts to one another helps to create a feeling of closeness and hope in the community at a time of the year when we are still burdened with the bleakness of winter.  There is a rabbinic teaching that we should not only give gifts to friends, but to someone who is new in the community, to those who are needy, and to those whose spirits would be bolstered by knowing that someone cares.

This year, we will be celebrating the mitzvah of Mishloach Manot by creating boxes with hamentashen and several other tasty treats. We will notify your friends that a box has been prepared for them, and they will get a gift box with a list of all of those members who sent them Purim Greetings.

Order forms will be available in the lobby or can be requested by emailing Lisa Horowitz, at $3 per greeting. Orders are due by Sun., Feb. 21. Boxes will be available for pick up on Sun., Feb. 28, from 10 AM through the end of the Purim Carnival (~2 PM), and then through Wed., Mar. 3. Those not picked up by the following Wednesday (Mar. 3) will be dismantled due to the perishable nature of the food inside, but the cards will be forwarded to those who received a greeting.

Contact Lisa Horowitz by email with any questions.