Sweeter Celebration for Soldiers
Feb. 21, 2008

Photo captions, left to right:

Front: Harold Perlin, resident of The Jewish Home, presents Phil Bleich, of New Haven, founder of Operation Far From Home, with the first two of many bags of resident-made hamantashen.
Standing: Phil Bleich, of New Haven, founder of Operation Far From Home, Mr. Perlin's daughter Nancy Lerner, of South Carolina, Bunny Kaspar, of Woodbridge, member of The Jewish Home's Board of Directors, and Ellen Ashkins, of Fairfield, Director of Resident Life at the Home.

Recently, 2/19/08, Phil Bleich, of New Haven, founder of "Operation Far From Home", was at The Jewish Home for the Elderly, Fairfield, to receive dozens of hamantashen baked by the residents for him to send to Jewish soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Hamantashen are the traditional pastry treat of Purim, a holiday celebrating Jewish victory thousands of years ago," said Ellen Ashkins, of Fairfield, Director of Resident Life at The Jewish Home. "This year when Purim begins at sunset on Thursday, March 20th, the residents and the soldiers will have their own victories to celebrate."

Bleich and his wife Linda started Operation Far From Home to communicate to Jewish troops serving in America's Armed Services that they are not forgotten.

"While we cannot bring pots of chicken soup to the troops we can mail cans of soup along with other kosher foods, Judaic items, requested necessities, and some fun things all packed with love and caring," said Bleich. "As they serve in conflicts, they connect us to the realities of a harsh and difficult time in history, and we serve to connect them to the community."

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