Temple Emanuel Sisterhood delivers over 560 Mishloach Manot ro community!

Orange you glad it’s Purim? That was the message sent in an orange bag complete with orange chocolate, candy, clementines, an orange cup and hamantashen. Temple Emanuel gathered an army of over 50 Sisterhood women to assemble over 650 bags of Mishloach Manot for delivery within the community.

Mishloach manot, literally, "sending of portions"; and also called a Purim basket, are gifts of food or drink that are sent to family, friends and others on Purim day. The mitzvah of giving mishloach manot derives from the Book of Esther. It is meant to ensure that everyone has enough food for the Purim feast held later in the day, and to increase love and friendship among Jews and their neighbors.

It was a fun, efficient, friendship-forming, team-building, inspirational event that put a smile on everyone's face. After the gift assembly, our fabulous delivery team kicked into gear. More than 65 volunteers went into action to deliver packages by Purim within Newton, Brookline, Needham, Wellesley, Allston, Brighton, Watertown, Waltham, Weston and Jamaica Plain. Purim greetings were mailed out to 50 recipients in surrounding communities. Twenty-seven families donated their Mishloach Manot to Family Table. With donors, recipients, senders, assemblers and deliverers, there was a way for everyone to participate in this joyous, communal effort. A big Yasher Koah to program chairs Penny Scharfman and Caren Kimball for coordinating this extremely successful program!

A very big thank you to Rosenfeld's Bagels for so generously sponsoring our Mishloach Manot with an unusual but delicious new round Purim treat! And we heartily thank everyone in Temple Emanuel who participated in making this a memorable Purim and hope that it is only the beginning of a long, happy tradition at Temple Emanuel.

For more information about Temple Emanuel, please visit www.templeemanuel.com