by Monita Buchwald

Purim falls on March 21st, which means you have a month to plan one of the holiday’s most important mitzvahs, Mishloach Manot, the exchanging of gifts. Many people do this by contributing money to their synagogue or to an organization they support like Amit or Emunah, which then sends out gift baskets on their behalf. But there are other ways to double your mitzvah and really experience the fun and fulfillment of creating and delivering your own gift packages. How to do this? Here are some options for DIY (do-it-yourself ) Mishloach Manot, ideas for giving to people you may not have thought of, a schedule for putting these gift baskets together and some resources to help you get it done.

The Basic Components

1) The Goods:

The “manot” part of the gift should consist of at least two “portions” of something immediately edible or drinkable. Typically, a Mishloach Manot package will include fruit, sweets, wine and, of course, hamantaschen. Here are some things you can get in bulk at your local supermarket:

• Bite-size candies – 2-3 different bags
• Little packages of raisins or other dried fruit
• Juice boxes for kids
• Crate of clementines
• Boxes of granola or candy bars

You can also go to your local bakery or Kosher butcher and purchase hamantaschen. But baking your own is more fun; easy to do; and they freeze well, so you can do it in advance. See below for a hamantaschen recipe.

2) The Packaging:

Your gift package can be a pretty shopping bag (check out www.partyandpaperwarehouse.com for a wide selection). Alternatively, you can order Purim-specific bags from www.chocolategelt.com. They also offer a variety of Purim items that you might want to add into your package.

Use nametag stickers to write your Purim message and stick it on your bag.

Themed Mishloach Manot Packages

If you want to get more creative, and have the time, think out of the box.

1) Spring into Purim

Since Purim falls on the first day of Spring, consider packaging your goods in a flower pot (smithandhawken.com offers a wide range of suitable pots). In addition to the basic “manot,” you could also include a package of seeds to grow herbs (parkseed.com has a variety to select). A box of herb teas would round out your Spring package. (harney.com offers a broad range of herb teas that work well for hot and cold beverages).

2) Celebrate Israel’s 60th Purim

Since this is the 60th anniversary of Eretz Yisrael, purchase candy and other food products from Israel. Some of these you can find in your local kosher supermarket or butcher. You can also order these products from ohnuts.com or israeliwishes.com.

Include an Israeli flag in your package which can be ordered in packages of 72 from jnf.org.
You can put your Israel-themed Mishloach Manot in cloth bags created by Ethiopian Jews living in Afula, Israel. They are employed by Adisia, a non-profit cooperative, which is keeping their tradition of embroidery alive and providing them with a source of income. Go to wizousa.org to purchase the bags.

3) Matanot L’Evyonim (Gifts For The Needy)

Buy cards that benefit good causes:

Meir Panim provides food to the poor and hungry in Israel and is offering packages of colorful Purim cards to raise money for its services. Go to meirpanim.org to order yours.

Sharsheret, a national non-profit organization offering support to Jewish women facing breast cancer, is selling Purim cards. To purchase a set, email info@sharsheret.org or visit their website at sharsheret.org.

Magen David Adom offers tribute cards that support their efforts in Israel at afmda.org.

Or you can help children in Sderot by purchasing Purim cards through Amit at amitchildren.org.

Support the troops: Send a package to someone in the Israeli army. Log on to www.basketstoisrael.com to order Mishloach Manot for soldiers.

Volunteer your time: At Bais Mishkon in Brooklyn, which provides medical, educational, and therapeutic services to developmentally disabled young adults, each resident receives a Mishloach Manot and assembles and distributes packages to their neighbors in return. Contact Bais Mishkon at (718) 851-7100 to help with this special mitzvah.

Getting It All Done

Three weeks before: If you’re planning on ordering items online, particularly from Israel, place your orders by Friday, February 29th.

Two weeks before: Make your hamantaschen and freeze them until you’re ready to assemble your packages.

A week before: Shop for the goods you need from your local markets.

Two days before: Assemble your packages. If you have young children, it’s fun to set up an assembly line to get the job done. Begin delivering your Mishloach Manot packages Thursday evening after the reading of the Megillah, and complete the delivery before sundown on Friday.

Recipe for Hamantashen