The Purim Project

Since Cornerstone Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc. is an accredited hospice with The National Institute for Jewish Hospice, we receive a Jewish Holiday Information Sheet which informs us of each of the holidays and holy days our Jewish patients celebrate. This month, the holiday is Purim. Quoting the Information Sheet, we discover “Purim, a frolicking holiday, also known as the Feast of Lots, commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people from an attempted genocide in the times of the Persian Empire.” Further, there is a lesson remember by the Jews “that G-d, even behind-the-scenes and without miracles, will always save the Jewish people.” The NIJH informs us that there are several ways Jews celebrate this holiday. One focal point is the Mishloach Manot, a food package. This package may be elaborate or simple. We chose to provide a simple but handmade Mishloach Manot. We involved our Volunteers, Spiritual Care Volunteers, and Chaplains to assist in the delivery of these ‘butterflies of joy.’ As you can see, the concept is simple… A baggie is filled with grapes and goldfish crackers and the butterfly shape is made with a clothes pin with eyes and antennae. Our goal is to let our Jewish patients know we are paying attention and are aware of the holidays that give their lives so much meaning.