Hundreds of shalach manot holiday food packages were sent to U.S. Jewish soldiers in Iraq for Purim. The shalach manot, a Purim tradition, were assembled by the National Council of Young Israel and included hamantashen, granola bars, noisemakers and copies of the Purim story. The packages also had lip balm, lotion and hand sanitizer — all useful for troops serving in the desert.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.