Purim Basket Delivery

COEJL Santa Cruz
Jewish, Non-denominational

This delightful program uses the holiday of Purim to educate the Jewish community of Santa Cruz, California, about organic foods and alternative transportation. There are many holidays that naturally stand out in the Jewish calendar for having a connection to the environment -- Purim (until now) wasn’t one of them! Purim celebrates the story of Esther and calls upon us to “...make the fourteenth day of the month of Adar a day of gladness and feasting, and holiday, and of sending of gifts to one another” (Esther 9:19). The Santa Cruz affiliate of COEJL (Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life) found a way to make this holiday -- full of crazy costumes, story telling, and foolishness -- a holiday to also care about our bodies and the earth.

For the last two Purims, volunteers (some in costume) have gotten on their bikes to perform the important mitzvah (good deed) of delivering Shalach Manot (gifts of food), to friends, family and those in need, throughout Santa Cruz County.

But they also take the mitzvah one step further. The food baskets consist of goodies that are organic and kosher. Jewish fraternity and sorority students gathered at the UCSC campus’ Chabad Student Center (Orthodox) to make hamentaschen (a three-cornered cookie) out of 100 percent organic ingredients. One of the students was quoted as saying, “I never knew Judaism had an environmental message. This makes me think there is more to Judaism than I have been taught!”

The cookies go into baskets that have been purchased online and which are available in three variations, ranging from their most modest basket (priced at $15), which includes:

• Three fresh baked hamentashen (fruit or chocolate)
• One piece of fresh, luscious fruit
• Dried fruit
• Chocolate
• Fruit juice
• A card

Their “Queen Esther Special” (priced at $40) includes additional cookies and a bottle of organic wine.

With trailers in tow, the riders spread out with their holiday cheer, and along the way they get some people, who already have an active Jewish practice, to consider integrating more environmental activities into their lives.

Contact: Batya Kagan at lchaim@jps.net

Organizational website: www.coejlsantacruz.org