It’s been a long winter, but Rosh Chodesh Adar Beis finally arrived. Costume stores popped up. The candy aisles were overflowing. Themes became serious business.
But not everyone was focused only on their own fun. Starting Rosh Chodesh Adar, girls in more than 20 New York and Lakewood high schools participated in an annual project that’s all about giving to others.
Every year, Bnos Bikur Cholim (BBC) organizes a mass mishloach manos program, pairing high school girls with nursing home residents. The girls package sugar-free chocolate and hamentashen for the seniors. This year, they added a card with a personal message to each mishloach manos.
Then the girls delivered the packages to residents in 15+ nursing homes. They’re not just handing out nosh! The girls spread smiles and simchas Purim to the often lonely seniors. Without these visits, many of them wouldn’t even know that Purim was coming.
“Any school who does this project wants to do it again the next year,” says Mrs. Chana Baila Hass, national director of Bnos Agudas Yisroel. “And the nursing homes can’t wait for it to happen each Purim. Especially this year, they were eager to have the girls come since a lot of them just opened now post-COVID. Thank you to the participating schools and the Agudist Benevolent Society. And thank you to the girls who brought happiness to the elderly members of our community.”
“Nursing homes ask if we can come even when it’s not Purim,” added Mrs. Hass. “And, yes, we can, and we do! BBC has programs all year round.”
Would you like to get involved in BBC? Would you like to visit a senior or become a senior’s phone mate? Or do you know a senior who would love a visit?
To learn more about becoming part of BBC, call Bnos at 212-797-9000, ext. 330, or email
[email protected].
