Spreading Purim joy
A HEARTWARMING Purim project involving hundreds of child volunteers saw more than 200 Jewish residents of 15 non-denominational aged care centres receive gift packs last week.
A HEARTWARMING Purim project involving hundreds of child volunteers saw more than 200 Jewish residents of 15 non-denominational aged care centres receive gift packs last week.
The Jewish National Fund (JNF) – in conjunction with Jewish House, COA’s Hannah Meyer Project and the Zionist Youth Council – put together, and then personally delivered, the mishloach manot bags. Each one contained sweets, a JNF plant seed from Israel, a Blue Box, wine, Shabbat candles and a kiddush cup.
But the most special items were greeting cards hand-written by students from Mount Sinai College, and hamantaschen freshly baked at Our Big Kitchen by 80 youngsters from the Bnei Akiva, Habonim and Betar youth movements, and Moriah College students.
On Friday, 15 residents at Mark Moran Vaucluse Seniors Living and Aged Care Centre received Purim gift packs by JNF Australia’s national education shaliach Yigal Nisell, and his wife Noa, who works there as a pastry chef.
“While many people think Purim is only about dressing up or eating hamantaschen, it is really a Jewish holiday where you are meant to have endless joy – and the real joy is in giving to somebody else,” Yigal told The AJN.
“This is what this project does for the Jewish aged care residents who usually do not get many, or any, opportunities to participate in Jewish festivals.
“One resident we met this week never had a Jewish visitor until now – so the smile was double the size.”
In a nice touch during the visit, Mark Moran Vaucluse’s leisure and lifestyle officer Mark Blumberg was able to deliver mishloach manot to his grandmother, Adele Simson, who resides there.
SHANE DESIATNIK
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