“We cannot intercept rockets, Kassams, mortars, or Katyushas. But on this Purim in Sderot we will beat Haman and Hamas with faith, with hope, and with simcha.”
 
“For all of us, witnessing the tragic situation unfolding in Sderot, and now in the city of Ashkelon, has been extraordinarily painful as we ask ourselves, What can we do?” says Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn). “With the constant bombardment of 7,000 rockets and mortars over the last seven years, the 20,000 remaining inhabitants of Sderot, who have not fled, have nine seconds to brace themselves against incoming salvos. Those who have stayed behind do not have the resources to flee as thousands of others have.
 
“There have been miracles, and there have been maimings. And on Purim there should be merriment. I have undertaken to present Mishloach Manos to every family in Sderot as a tangible expression of our solidarity with the 6,000 families who remain under fire.
 
“For three days and three nights, over Purim, I will live, sleep, and celebrate Purim and Shabbos with the people of Sderot, as they do, under the constant threat of incoming missiles.
 
“We cannot intercept rockets, Kassams, mortars or Katyushas. But on this Purim in Sderot we will beat Haman and Hamas with faith, with hope, and with simcha, the youthful, unbridled joy which defines Purim. Let us together make this Purim more meaningful, more momentous, and more meritorious for ourselves and for the people of Sderot. With your help we can transform this Purim from hopeless to heartwarming.”
 
To participate in this solidarity project to present Mishloach Manos to all 6,000 families in Sderot, please make your tax deductible contribution to JRP PURIM and mail it to: Assemblyman Dov Hikind, 1310 48th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11219.