New Initiative Empowers Communities To Bring Purim Joy to Hospitals and Senior Centers

Purim is around the corner. Across the globe, Chabad Houses are gearing up for megillah readings, mishloach manos deliveries, and festive celebrations that bring communities together in joy. But for Jewish patients in hospitals and residents in nursing homes, that opportunity often doesn’t exist. While shluchim have long worked to reach these individuals, a new initiative from Merkos 302’s Chabad on Call aims to expand this vital work by helping shluchim mobilize their communities to share the load and the mitzvah.

‘Simcha Ambassadors’ provides shluchim with a complete toolkit to recruit, train, and deploy community volunteers for hospital and nursing home visits, ensuring that every Jew—regardless of circumstance—can experience the joy of the day.

“This initiative brings joy to those who need it most,” said Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Executive Director of Merkos 302. “The Rebbe’s vision from day one was to reach every Jew, wherever they are, by empowering each of us to be an ambassador.”

The initiative builds on a call the Rebbe issued on Shabbos Mevorchim Adar 5736, when the Rebbe introduced a new phase of Mivtza Purim: visiting Yidden in prisons and hospitals to help them perform mishloach manos and matanos la’evyonim. Beyond enabling them to fulfill the mitzvos of Purim, the Rebbe explained, these visits bring the joy of Purim to those who need it most, at a time when they need it most.

The free resource packet includes email templates for securing facility permissions, flyers and sign-up forms for recruiting volunteers, and beautifully designed Purim cards, song sheets, and activity pages for visits.

“Shluchim shouldn’t have to carry this alone,” said Mrs. Chani Goldberg, Director of Chabad on Call at Merkos 302. “When you bring families and volunteers into the work, patients get the time and attention they deserve, and your community gets a meaningful way to give back.”

Chabad on Call, a project of Merkos 302, serves over 300 healthcare facilities through local Chabad Houses and dedicated Chabad on Call chaplains. Year-round, the organization supports shluchim in creating warm, caring connections with patients, families, and medical staff, addressing both emotional and spiritual needs.

The Simcha Ambassadors packet is available for free download at shluchim.chabadoncall.com/purim