Purim festivities with the Jewish Pavilion

Jewish Pavilion staff and volunteers worked hard to bring the joy and fun of Purim to seniors in living facilities all over town last month. At more than two dozen festive parties and special events, Jewish seniors and family members were joined by residents and staff of other faiths to sing Purim songs, eat hamantaschen and other treats, and enjoy Purim spiels that retold the story of Queen Esther, King Achashverosh, and the wicked Haman.

At Brookdale Dr. Phillips, women from Gesher and their families joined seniors for their Purim celebration. Gesher is an organization to connect Jewish women of South Orlando by providing meaningful Jewish experiences, regardless of affiliation. Having so many children around really made for a lively party, and residents were smiling, dancing, clapping, making noise with their groggers, and just having a wonderful time.

Residents of Savannah Court and Cove of Maitland were treated to a visit from Jewish Academy of Orlando kindergarteners. Looking adorable in their Purim costumes, the children paraded around the commons area and sang for the delighted seniors, then gave each one a hamentachen and bag of mishloach manot treats, fulfilling the special Purim mitzvah.

At Cascade Heights in Longwood, Ben Brenslauer, the former owner of the renowned but unfortunately closed Ben's Bake Shop, brought in a delicious homemade hamentashen dough and a variety of fillings. Brenslauer spent about two hours showing some of the Jewish seniors and a few families with kids how to shape and fill the dough to make the triangular treats. The cookies were baked in the facility's ovens and were later brought, still warm, to the weekly Shabbat celebration, which included a fun Purim program.

Many more Pavilion celebrations in other facilities brought fun and treats to seniors. The Jewish Pavilion thanks all of the Purim party donors and volunteers and the facility staffs for their contributions to making a Purim to remember for the seniors we serve. And with Passover just around the corner, the Pavilion welcomes donations and volunteers to help make many meaningful Passover celebrations for Jewish seniors. Contact the Jewish Pavilion at 407-678-9363 or NancyLudin@JewishPavilion.org. To learn more about the organization, see JewishPavilion.org.