Redistributing surplus food to those in need

By Emily J. Greenstein

The following article is written by Emily J. Greenstein, the daughter of Eve Scharf, a Jewish Federation of Greater Naples community member. Greenstein’s article expands on the information we learned during our recent program, "Food Insecurity in Israel's Time of Crisis: How One Organization Employed Creative Solutions to Address Hunger and Urgent Needs During the War." Leket Israel is a beneficiary of Jewish Federation of Greater Naples’ Annual Community Campaign, thanks to the generosity of supporters like you.

Since making Aliyah from New Jersey four years ago, I’ve had the opportunity to study sustainability and political science, while participating in initiatives involving conflict resolution and eco-conscious practices. Today, I am fortunate to be a part of the overseas fundraising team for Leket Israel, The National Food Bank.

While my experiences gave me an understanding of food insecurity —specifically the amount of food that developed countries, including Israel, produce, waste and discard — it wasn’t until I was introduced to Leket Israel’s mission that I became aware of the depth of the issue and the innovative ways to address it.

The concept of Leket, which originates in biblical times, symbolizes the act of leaving behind gleanings for the poor during harvest. Today, Leket Israel upholds this ancient value by rescuing surplus food and redistributing it to those in need. In 2023 alone, Leket Israel rescued and purchased 70.84 million pounds of fresh produce and 2.3 million hot meals that would have otherwise been discarded.

Leket Israel has since done an excellent job at not only rescuing surplus produce and meals but having a consistent distribution method that reaches approximately 300 nonprofit partners every week, including soup kitchens, centers for the elderly, shelters for battered women, community aid organizations and schools for at-risk youth. Today, Leket Israel feeds about 330,000 Israelis throughout the country in need every week.

In the aftermath of Oct. 7, 2023, we were all confronted with a stark new reality. Just some of these grievances included the destruction of agricultural land and equipment, the displacement of families throughout Israel and a 40% decrease in farm workers.

I happened to join Leket Israel just in time to witness how the organization adapted to the turbulent circumstances and evolving needs of their work. Some of these initiatives included aiding in securing grants to repair damaged farms, organizing volunteers to assist farmers in need, creating produce stands for evacuated families and providing support packages for impacted families in northern communities.

While working with Leket Israel, it became apparent that food rescue is more than just minimizing waste — it’s about turning this surplus into sustenance for those who need it most, especially during these uncertain times. I’ve seen the genuine passion of people dedicated to supporting the community and the immense gratitude of recipients and partners of Leket Israel’s work.

Reflecting on the past year and looking forward, I am optimistic that Leket Israel will continue to adapt and highlight new approaches to serve the community’s needs. I am continually amazed by the resilience and sense of communal responsibility I’ve been introduced to thus far.

To support the mission of Leket Israel, visit www.leket.org.