The holiday of Purim means the reading of the Scroll of Esther, costumes and a gift of food to friends. Usually, we give a lovely basket of homemade cakes and candy. This year Mishloach Manot, the gift of food, means Gush Katif produce: lettuce, cherry tomatoes, parsley, dill and celery, all insect-free, from the Gush Katif greenhouses. Hundreds of communities in Israel and abroad have chosen to buy and distribute the Katif produce in a show of solidarity.



But now comes the best part. The people of Gush Katif have already begun to bring Mishloach Manot. They are bringing a basket of greens, along with informational material, to the people of every city in Israel.



These information kits include a CD film explaining the Sharon expulsion plan and its security implications, a booklet about Gush Katif, a drawing and a letter from a Gush Katif youngster and, of course, a "taste" of our famous produce.



Speaking with my friend Miriam, who along with other Gush Katif women went out to Ashkelon to distribute the baskets, I got a taste of an evening in Ashkelon.



Miriam, giving me her radiant smile, said:



"Two women went out together. We knocked on doors and announced that we were from Gush Katif and wanted to give them a gift. A few were wary. Others opened their doors and gladly invited us into their homes.



"We saw many lonely people who simply welcomed a chance to chat. For many, it was their first encounter with people from Gush Katif and a very first encounter with a Purim food gift.



"They were shocked at the horror of our story, that we were to be thrown out of our homes. Suddenly, what they saw on television became a reality. The women sitting in their living room were the same people being dehumanized by the government.



"'But you're so nice. You're just like us... ordinary. Why would the government want to throw you out of your homes?' they asked.



"They told us their own stories of government indifference... of poverty... of sadness. Soon, we were not people they had heard about, but people with whom they could talk, and identify. We were one! Warm relationships developed.



"The government has tried to tear the people apart. We are bringing the Jewish people together.



"I feel that I have made new friends. And the best part is that they all ask to help in our battle. I love these Mishloach Manot evenings. I feel as if I have received a gift from the Jewish people," Miriam concludes.



The story of Purim is being repeated today in our history as Jews. May the evil edict of expulsion be rescinded for Gush Katif as it was rescinded for the Jews of Persia so long ago.



Please fast for us on the Fast of Esther (March 24), and together, may we rejoice as if Purim has come once again.



[You can donate to the Mishloach Manot project. Send your check to:



Friends of Gush Katif

Katif Fund

N'vei Dekalim

DN Hof Aza 79779

Israel]