(Courtesy of Fleetwood Synagogue) Normally, in an arts and crafts activity, you make something and keep it for yourself. Well, for Purim, in this case “v’nahafoch hu,” means you make something and give it away.

The kids of Fleetwood Synagogue enjoyed making hamantashen-shaped mishloach manot and decorating them with markers and crayons. Candy was added to fill and make a sweet center. Then, following a lottery of picking names out of a hat—the pur in Purim—they exchanged these mishloach manot with friends. Kids loved making and giving out mishloach manot on their own, and the suspense of picking out a friend’s name added to the fun!

This activity was followed by a costume parade around the shul. Kids in costumes ranging from a hockey player, an Air Force pilot, Ada Twist, Scientist and “The Wizard of Oz” characters strutted their stuff for parents and grandparents. The parade was a perfect activity to burn off all that sugar consumed from enjoying the contents of the mishloach manot!

For more information on Fleetwood, email [email protected].