The Baltimore Shinshinim, in partnership with community organizations including 4Front, The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore and the Jewish Connection Network, are currently organizing the first-ever mishloach manot exchange for Baltimore’s Jewish community. Interested parties can sign up to make a basket of Purim goodies for someone else in the community and receive one in turn.
While there have been smaller mishloach manot exchanges in the area — JUSA-Chabad’s Veterans Circle of Friends group makes them to deliver to local veterans and service workers — this is the first time one has been organized for the entire Baltimore Jewish community.
The tradition is more common in Israel, where the shinshinim come from. It’s common for families to fill their mishloach manot with food and crafts, often personalized based on the family they are making one for.
“We wanted to bring our Israeli Purim to Baltimore,” said Amit, a 19-year-old shinshinim who works for Jewish Educational Services (surname withheld for security purposes). “We come together as a community [in Israel] to do a mishloach manot exchange. It’s a great way to celebrate Purim, and we wanted to bring it here.”
Potential registrants have until March 17 to fill out an application, which includes information about themselves as well as their tastes and dietary needs. The shinshinim will match participants together, and on March 24, the participants will be able to hand-deliver their mishloach manot to their giftee.
In addition to being a mitzvah, making a mishloach manot gives exchange participants the opportunity to do something creative with their family and to meet new people in the Jewish community.
To sign up to participate in The First Ever Baltimore Jewish Community Mishloach Manot Exchange, visit bit.ly/MishloachManotExchange. The shinshinim encourage families to take pictures of their gifts and send them to their Instagram, @baltimore.shinshinim.
