Communities get help to celebrate at home with ‘Purim in a Box’
United Synagogue initiative offers festive feast for people to mark the Jewish celebration from the comfort of their living rooms
Community members dreading a Purim under lockdown will receive a helping hand to celebrate the festival – thanks to a special kit from the United Synagogue.
With its new ‘Purim in a Box’ initiative, would-be shul-goers can enjoy a festive meal and give charity without leaving their house.
The box costs £8.50, and can either be purchased, donated or sent as a gift, allowing people to complete three out of the four Purim commandments, of having a festive meal (a Seuda), giving food (Mishloach Manot ) and distributing charity to those in need (Matanot Laevyonim). Mishloach manot can be be sent to someone for £5 each and the matanot l’evyonim option can be donated online.
Included in the each box is a breakfast meal, challah for shabbat, a roll and a quiche, granola, fruit, a scone with cream and jam, and a traditional Purim hamantaschen.
This comes after the United Synagogue announced that half a dozen of its shuls will be re-opening for Purim, as it set out guidelines to ensure Covid-compliancy.
The United Synagogue’s Director of Education, Rabbi Michael Laitner said: “This year, nearly twelve months on from the first national lockdown, many of us might find it more challenging to feel joyful. It will certainly be a different Purim to what we’ve known in the past. But to help us celebrate, our communities have been busy planning wonderful local programmes and to complement them, the United Synagogue team has spent the last month arranging some quite brilliant initiatives to help our members enjoy the festival and fulfil the four mitzvot of Purim in a Covid-secure way.”
Michael Goldstein, President of the United Synagogue, praised the “innovative programmes to help our members and the wider community celebrate Purim this year safely and in full, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. The Purim in a Box initiative is a truly brilliant idea: a one-stop shop to fulfil three of the four Purim mitzvot without needing to leave your home.”
Buy now from www.theus.org.uk/purimbox
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