All Who Are Hungry, Come In and Eat
For many people, Israel’s current war against Hamas, Swords of Iron, is a unique opportunity to help Israel. But for United Soup Kitchens (USK), this is a time to do what they normally do – provide food for thousands of people – but on a much grander scale.
USK falls under the umbrella of Collel Chabad, which is the oldest continuously operating charity in Israel. Collel Chabad was started in 1788 to serve new immigrants to Israel. It has been supporting the people of Israel, consistently, from 1788 until today. Their history means that the USK has a lot of experience in supporting the needy.
USK operates 22 free restaurants located throughout Israel, providing meals to those who come to them, and sending out meals to be delivered via their “Meals on Wheels” program. Every month, they serve thousands of Jews in need, including Holocaust survivors and the elderly, with nutritious and hearty meals. As long as people are hungry, the USK free restaurants are open and serving food.
But the war has forced USK to work even harder than usual. As a part of Israel’s emergency response team, they have had to broaden what they serve, who they serve, and how they serve. When the war broke out on Saturday, October 7th, they had no choice but to shut down their soup kitchens. But people relied on them for meals, and so USK arranged for meals to be delivered to those who needed them most. Since the war began, USK has prepared five times the usual amount of food.
The war has left tens of thousands of people, who previously were able to provide for themselves, in need of USK’s services. These displaced Israelis, who escaped Hamas in the South and Hezbollah in the North, require much more than meals. When they fled their homes, they left everything behind. They stepped off the buses that took them from their communities to temporary housing with nothing in their hands. Forced to flee at a moment’s notice without time to pack suitcases, they lack the most basic supplies needed for daily existence.
USK jumped into action, and immediately provided each family with emergency support of 5,000 shekels to purchase clothing and other basic supplies for their families.
While many escaped, many more are still trapped in their homes. Areas in the South, such as Sedeirot and Netivot, are under evacuation advisement, but many are unable to leave. Some are too sick to leave their homes which have the medical equipment they need to survive. While it is too dangerous for them to leave their homes, they are still in need of food. USK ensures that food is delivered to those in need. USK even delivers baby formula when necessary. Despite the danger of rocket attacks, volunteers from USK continue to deliver food. Thanks to USK’s partnership with the Israeli government and the Israeli Defense Forces, they are able to deliver prepared meals to Israelis in bomb shelters and other areas considered unsafe for civilians. To date, they have delivered food to thousands of people in over 40 communities in Israel.
While no one knows how long this war will last, USK is planning by analyzing statistics and data. Over the past two weeks, and 350,000 reservists were called to duty, thousands of families throughout Israel have been deprived of their primary source of income. Many self-employed small business owners, or those employed in businesses classified as non-essential businesses, are at risk of finding themselves without any income. WIll they have the means to provide for their families in the weeks ahead? How many more people will soon be in need of USK’s services?
USK is already on the frontlines, putting food in the mouths of people who otherwise wouldn’t have any. USK has no choice. For the sake of those in need, they must continue their work. People are relying on them, and so USK is relying on you. USK is using the best resources and technology to make sure they are maximizing each and every dollar for the benefit of Israel’s needy. Any amount you can give to the USK is guaranteed to feed and support those who are in need. For $200, you can sponsor someone’s meals for the whole week, and for $1,200 you can sponsor a family’s meals for an entire week.
Please give generously to United Soup Kitchen in Israel, and make sure Israel does not go hungry during this time of war.
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