Why Israel?
Coming together as Christians and Jews
It is always exciting for me to see Christians visiting the Holy Land, for most it is a true blessing. The Bible really comes to life in Israel and once you’ve been there you’ll read the Scriptures in “3D”.
More and more Christians want not only to be blessed but to be a blessing. Leket Israel utilizes approximately 47,000 volunteers each year. Many of them visit one of Leket Israel’s farms. Getting a little bit of Holy Land soil under their fingernails!
Christians are surprised to find out that Israel has one of the highest poverty rates in the western world. Almost one quarter of Israelis live below the poverty line, including over one third of Israeli children and a quarter of Israel’s Holocaust survivors.
Leket Israel The National Food Bank is a modern adaptation of the ancient Mitzah (commandment).
Leket Israel is not a Christian ministry, it is based in Israel and was founded by Joseph Gitler, an Orthodox Jew.
“I believe that we at Leket Israel are a living example of perhaps the most exciting thing that God is doing in the world today. Bringing Christians and Jews together for His purposes for Israel. For Christian who believes that God expects you to be a blessing to the people of Israel, when you support Leket Israel you are supporting a Jewish charity and your donation goes directly to Israelis in need.”
Food with Purpose
Leket Israel began as a hot meal rescue operation. Every day our staff and volunteers collect thousands of hot meals from hotels, restaurants, corporate cafeterias, Israeli Defense Forces bases, and catered events for delivery to Israel’s most needy.
Because of support from Christians like you, food of the highest quality from weddings and corporate headquarters is delivered for free to Holocaust survivors, the invalid and struggling families
Over the years Leket Israel expanded into the rescue of agricultural produce and this year the organization will glean over 37 million pounds of fresh produce from 500 farms to benefit Israel’s needy.
All the food Leket Israel rescues is delivered free of charge to 200 non profit organizations working with 175,000 of the country’s poor. These includes food banks, homeless shelters, senior citizens facilities and half way houses.
Leket Israel works with those non profits who care for the poor with dignity and respect. We train these organizations in nutrition and food safety and provide them with funds to improve their food storage and preparation facilities.
Feeding Everyone in Need
Sometimes I am asked, what about those who are not Jewish?
God expects all of us to treat everyone with respect.
The Bible admonished ancient Israel to treat the stranger in their midst with dignity. That is exactly what Leket Israel does!
Leket employs many Israeli Arabs. This has transformed their lives as in many cases it is the first job they have ever had. It has transformed their families and communities.
Leket Israel also provides food to African refugees from Sudan, Eritrea and elsewhere.
God has blessed Leket Israel with phenomenal growth, but there is so much more work that needs to be done.