By Ruti Cohenca, Special to JTNews
As part of the celebration of Purim, Jews in Persia sent gifts of food to their friends — shalach manot. We have continued this tradition. This is a fun and easy mitzvah because you do some cooking and/or shopping, and then deliver treats to your friends and family. Shalach manot is a great way of defining your community.
Matanot l’evyonim means gifts to the poor. When Mordechai declared the first celebration of Purim, Jews sent two kinds of gifts: Gifts to their friends and gifts to the poor. The other way they celebrated their victory was the giving of tzedakah (charity). This too is a wonderful opportunity to manifest your best values as part of a celebration.
Here are some creative arts and crafts ideas to make Purim a really powerful experience for you and your child:
1. Take a paper plate, decorate it with your child, or even write the story of Mordechai and Esther on it. Fold it to make a shape of a triangle. Staple it and fill it with delicious sweets. You can add a small present, or small noisemaker to make your friend even happier.
2. Make a basket of food items. Put shredded paper and place chocolates, candies, wine, tea bags, and hamentaschen inside it. Wrap the box in cellophane and tighten it with ribbon.
3. Recycled items are a good way to take care of our environment and there are endless ideas for Purim-related crafts: Wooden boxes, mugs, bottles, plastic bowls.
4. Here is a noisemaker that can be shalach manot at the same time. Fill a small box with candies and attach it to a stick. Your child can enjoy the sweet after the Megillah reading.
Create a favorite shalach manot to give to your friends. Have fun!
What is your favorite shalach manot that you’ve received over the years?
Ruti Cohenca is a certified event planner and the owner of Events-4Life (www.facebook.com/events4life).