“Seder Boxes” were originally designed to be delivered to elderly and vulnerable populations unable to spend Passover with their families, April 2020. Photo: Adopt-A-Safta.

JNS.org – Adopt-A-Safta, Israel’s leading non-profit initiative that pairs young adults throughout Israel with elderly, is appealing for donations for “Seder Boxes”—complete Passover seder kits delivered to their front doors.

The organization is also making the boxes available for purchase for anyone in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem unable to attend a seder this year due to the social restrictions related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Packages include a fully loaded seder plate with dinner, plastic ware, matzah, Haggadahs and resources for those who have never run a seder before. They were originally designed to be delivered to elderly and vulnerable populations unable to spend Passover with their families.

“Seder Boxes” are also available for immigrants across Israel, all thanks to partnerships with professional kosher chef Sara Black of Asparagus Catering to ramp up production, the Schusterman Foundation ROI Community, Nefesh B’Nefesh and the Am Yisrael Foundation.

Amid the outbreak, Adopt-A-Safta has been working towards its mission to combat loneliness among the elderly, while also protecting them.

The team has been sourcing volunteers to phone shut-in seniors and go shopping on their behalf; still, that’s not enough for Passover, which begins at sundown on April 8 and ends at nightfall on April 16. (In Israel, the holiday is celebrated for seven days, ending at nightfall on April 15.)

“Nothing in the Jewish calendar is more familial and communal than seder night. No matter your level of Jewish observance, almost everyone looks forward to a night with friends and family around the Passover table,” said Adopt-A-Safta Founder Jay Shultz. “Skipping Passover was not an option, putting people at risk was not an option—getting creative to avoid a lonely seder experience was a must.”