Leket Israel

5/8/2013 9:22:00 PM

East Bay Jewish Community Gleans on I...

A contingent of East Bay (San Francisco, CA) community members on a recent mission to Israel met with Leket Israel Founder, Joseph Gitler to learn about nutritional insecurity in the country. After hearing from Mr. Gitler, the group harvested turnips and other crops to be distributed to the poor by Leket Israel. East Bay Jewish Federation President, Claudia Felson (pictured left in the article)...

4/29/2013 5:18:00 PM

A message from Leket Israel's CEO, Gi...

Leket Israel, together with other social organizations, academics and foundations, continues to advocate for the funds promised by the former government to help alleviate nutritional insecurity and poverty in Israel. As a result of the recent gov. allocation of 200 million shekels, Leket Israel is hopeful this budget adjustment will help the tens of thousands of needy families living below the ...

4/28/2013 5:19:00 PM

Leket Israel Awarded $4,700 from JCYF...

Leket Israel was recently presented with a check for $4,700 from the Jewish Community Youth Foundation's (JCYF) Teen Philanthropists. The check, one of the largest presented during a special ceremony, was accepted by American Friends of Leket Israel's Lauren Yoked, Associate Director of Development. Six hundred people gathered to witness 29 local, national and Israeli charitable organizations ...

4/8/2013 4:01:00 PM

VIDEO: People Feeding People

Statistics reveal that over 400,000 families in Israel suffer from nutritional insecurity, the inability due to poverty to acquire an adequate amount of food on a reliable, routine basis. Yet, at the same time, hundreds of thousands of tons of good, nutritious food is destroyed each year. Leket Israel works to alleviate hunger by combating paradoxical food waste through the collection & redistr...

2/21/2013 12:11:00 AM

PHOTOS: Shear Family and the Natan F...

Congratulations to our dear friends Herb & Barbara, John & Judith, and Gerry Shear upon receiving Leket Israel's Leadership Award at its first US Gala event. We would also like to congratulate the Natan Fund, bestowed with the organization's Young Visionary Award. A sincere thank you to our US office and US Board of Directors, and to all our supporters & volunteers who helped contribute to a sp...

2/19/2013 2:08:00 PM

''A Night at the Warehouse'' USA Gala

“A Night at the Warehouse” was the theme of Leket Israel's first US Gala dinner event which took place on Saturday night, February 9, 2013 at the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City. The event was dedicated to raising awareness and funding for Leket Israel’s food rescue programs and honored longtime supporters including the Shear Family of Pittsburgh and the Natan Fund.

2/10/2013 1:27:00 PM

Why do Israelis throw away half the f...

HAARETZ - Feb. 7, 2013. While one billion people worldwide are suffering from hunger, up to half of the food produced − in rich and poor countries alike − is thrown out before it reaches anyone’s plate. In a feature article about food waste, written by Haaretz's Netta Ahituv, learn what Leket Israel, Israel's National Food Bank, is doing to help combat the problem of food waste and nutritiona...

1/17/2013 10:12:00 AM

Leket Israel Gala on JPost's Grapevine

JERUSALEM POST - Jan. 15, 2013. US AMBASSADOR Dan Shapiro and his wife, Julie Fischer, were among some 600 guests from a broad spectrum of Israeli society at the Leket Israel annual gala dinner last Saturday night at Eden Al-Hamayim on Kibbutz Nir Eliyahu. All had come out to support Leket Israel’s mission to reduce nutritional insecurity. Leket does this by distributing excess food on a weekl...

12/16/2012 4:59:00 PM

AMIT and Leket Partner to Fight Hunger

Thanks to the cooperation of AMIT and Leket Israel, needy school children in the southern Israeli development towns of Kiryat Malachi and Sderot – two communities that recently suffered continuous rocket attacks – have been receiving nutritious sandwiches for lunch Sunday through Thursday during the school year. ''By doing something as simple as providing a small child with a healthy sandwich ...

11/26/2012 3:01:00 PM

Katif for Tikun Olam

TODAY'S ISRAEL - Fall 2012. According to Claudia Giat, Kehillat Netzach Programs Coordinator, growing awareness of nutritional poverty in Israel, prompted a group of adventurous adults and children from the Kehillat Netzach community to take part in Leket Israel's flagship project ''Gleaning the Land'', by volunteering this summer to pick vegetables for needy families. The group picked over 3 ...

11/21/2012 12:28:00 PM

Bar and Bat Mitzvahs in Israel

ISRAEL MINISTRY OF TOURISM - A bar/bat mitzvah is a ceremony marking a Jewish child’s passage into adulthood. But with adulthood comes responsibility for one’s surroundings and environment. Volunteering with Leket Israel will provide an unforgettable experience, and enable one to imbue their bar/bat mitzvah celebration with the traditional Jewish spirit of helping the needy and Zionist and soci...

11/21/2012 12:05:00 PM

They Migrated for Luxurious Life But ...

EUROPEAN PHOENIX - Nov. 10, 2012. The publication this week of the findings of a Maariv poll, conducted Nov. 1, among 491 respondents, with a sampling error of 4.5 percentage points, resulted in close to half of those canvassed indicating that they were worried about falling into poverty. According to European Phoenix, the findings of the poll should alarm all the decision makers in the State o...

11/21/2012 11:36:00 AM

Poll Shows 43% of Israelis Fear They'...

JAM NEWS - Nov. 11, 2012. In a recent Maariv poll, 43.1% of Israelis canvassed are worried about falling into poverty. An increasing number of the country's citizens cannot meet their payments and are worried about their financial situation. During a recent conference organized by Leket Israel, heads of social welfare associations recounted the difficulties they were encountering in respondin...

10/28/2012 9:40:00 AM

One Family's Israeli Tzedakah Experience

A highlight of the Rappaport family's recent trip to Israel was picking tomatoes with Leket Israel. The volunteer experience was part of the Rappaport children's first trip to the country. According to the Rappaports, ''By the end of our two hour volunteering experience, we had picked 165 lbs of tomatoes that helped feed well over 30 families that week. It truly gave our daughters a connection ...

10/17/2012 7:28:00 AM

Israeli NGOs combating hunger on Worl...

THE JERUSALEM POST - Oct. 17, 2012. World Food Day, which aims to raise awareness of poverty and hunger around the world, was marked this week by Leket Israel and other Israeli NGOs. According to the National Insurance Institute, almost 11% of families in Israel experienced significant nutritional insecurity in 2011. Leket Israel was founded 9 years ago to combat food waste in the face of pov...

10/10/2012 10:14:00 AM

Alleviating Hunger in Israel

The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles recently hosted an event with Paul Leiba, Director of Development for Leket Israel, the country's National Food Bank and largest food rescue network. Leket Israel is working to alleviate the problem of nutritional insecurity among the growing numbers of Israel's poor. Mr. Leiba shared his wisdom as to why so much produce goes to waste – when there ar...

8/23/2012 11:38:00 PM

An App That Helps The Needy

Leket Israel released its new iPhone and Android applications, which are available in both Hebrew and English. The new apps help the user find the closest food agency to donate any excess food from an event at a catering hall, an office party or a celebration at home. Leket Israel is the first nonprofit in Israel to design such an application.

7/19/2012 10:13:00 PM

Hillel Day School 8th Graders Harvest...

An article reposted by the ''Jew in the D'' blog, highlights the great work of Hillel Day School 8th graders who harvested over 3,500 lbs of potatoes for the needy on a recent trip to Israel. The volunteer experience was part of an end of year trip, serving as a culmination to all they have studied and explored during their years at the Jewish Day School located in Farmingtion Hills, Michigan....

7/10/2012 12:28:00 PM

PM announces NIS 100m. food aid program

THE JERUSALEM POST - July 9, 2012. PM Netanyahu announced Monday the allocation of NIS 100m for a new food aid program, after a similar move 2 years ago was never funded. Leket Israel & Latet, Israel's 2 largest food aid agencies, in a joint statement told the J Post this step showed that the government is finally taking some responsibility to solve a problem that “until now has only been addre...

6/26/2012 10:38:00 AM

Farmington Hills School Pitches in to...

Eighth graders from the Hillel Day School traveled to Israel recently as part of an end of year trip, serving as a culmination to all they have studied and explored during their years at the Jewish Day School located in Farmingtion Hills, Michigan. An important highlight of the trip included a visit with Leket Israel staff in a potato field where the students harvested 3,500 lbs of potatoes in ...

6/10/2012 6:13:00 PM

''The Narrow Door'' blog features: L...

''This organization looks amazing,'' begins a blog post featuring Leket Israel -- Food Bank Program. ''The Narrow Door'' blog, written by blogger ''Gail'', continues: ''I applaud them for what they are doing with getting fresh produce to people and healthy food to poor school children.'' Read more about what ''The Narrow Door'' has to say about Leket Israel.

6/10/2012 5:00:00 PM

Hillel Day School Feeds the Hungry

Eighth graders from the Hillel Day School traveled to Israel recently as part of an end of year trip, serving as a culmination to all they have studied and explored during their years at the Jewish Day School located in Farmingtion Hills, Michigan. An important highlight of the trip included a visit with Leket Israel staff in a potato field where the students harvested 3,500 lbs of potatoes in ...

5/1/2012 2:27:00 PM

VIDEO: Bar and Bat Mitzvah Projects w...

Celebrating your child's bar or bat mitzvah in Israel? Learn how Leket Israel can involve your child and family group in a meaningful bnei mitzvah project via hands-on activities appropriate for all ages. What better a way to commemorate this special event than by volunteering to help the less fortunate in Israel.

4/16/2012 8:54:00 PM

Volunteer Tourism-Experience Israel H...

Tourists in Israel looking for another, hands on way to experience Israel and, at the same time, help feed Israel’s needy can now enjoy a great day out picking fruits and vegetables courtesy of Leket Israel. The free activity is available for groups of all ages, sizes and backgrounds, as part of Israel’s National Food Bank gleaning initiative to pick fresh produce for distribution to Israel’s ...

3/28/2012 11:56:00 AM

Worrying Results from Leket Israel's ...

According to a recent survey conducted by Leket Israel and Dialogue Ma’ala, a well know Israeli social research company, due to the rise in food prices this year, 43% of Israeli’s reduced their total monthly food consumption and increased their intake of cheap processed food high in carbohydrates. 73% reported a reduction in total food purchases all together

3/1/2012 2:00:00 PM

VIDEO: Leket Israel 2012 Movie

Statistics reveal that over 400,000 families in Israel suffer from nutritional insecurity, the inability due to poverty to acquire an adequate amount of food on a reliable, routine basis. Yet, at the same time, hundreds of thousands of tons of good, nutritious food are destroyed each year. A significant focus of Leket Israel's mission is to alleviate hunger by combating paradoxical food waste...

2/29/2012 1:56:00 PM

Knesset to discuss new food-aid initi...

JERUSALEM POST - Feb. 27, 2012. A new initiative designed by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia aims at instilling healthier eating habits among impoverished Israelis by creating a supermarket whereby people can come and chose the fresh fruit and vegetables that they like. The elderly or infirm will also be able to order food from home using touchscreen technology. The Knesset Cau...

2/15/2012 9:16:00 PM

Jewish Toronto Leaders Honoured in Is...

UJA FEDERATION of GREATER TORONTO - Feb. 8, 2012. Henry & Julia Koschitzky, two of Jewish Toronto’s most prominent and generous philanthropists & community leaders were honoured in Israel recently at Leket Israel's 2nd Annual Gala Dinner, held on Kibbutz Nir Eliyahu. The evening, ''From the Field to the Plate – The Right of All to Healthy Food'' attracted 700 supporters and was dedicated to rai...

2/8/2012 11:55:00 PM

New iPhone and Android Apps Released ...

NEW YORK JEWISH WEEK - Feb. 8, 2012. Today, Leket Israel released its new iPhone and Android applications, which are available in both Hebrew and English. The new apps help the user find the closest food agency to donate any excess food from an event at a catering hall, an office party or a celebration at home. Leket Israel is the first nonprofit in Israel to design such an application.

1/18/2012 10:31:00 AM

Grapevine: The Polish Connection

JERUSALEM POST - Jan. 17, 2012. In a feature article, Greer Fay Cashman writes about the ''Polish Connection'' (so to speak) of those who make their mark in Israel--coming from his or her expatriate community to serve as ambassadors for good in their new homes in Israel. Leket Israel is highlighted as one of the organization's and projects started from scratch by one of those ambassadors, Jos...

2/16/2012 10:00:00 AM

Community Impact: Women's Endowment F...

JEWISH FED. OF GREATER SEATTLE - Feb. 15, 2012. Leket Israel's Nutrition for Life: Empowering Mothers Project recently received funding from the Women's Endowment of the Seattle Federation. The project offers workshops & training to at-risk single mothers to the benefits of healthy eating habits and proper nutrition on a limited budget--working to empower young mothers to serve as living exampl...

2/12/2012 12:21:00 PM

Leket Israel App makes donating easy

ISRAEL 21c - Innovation News Service - February 9, 2012. Leket Israel's new Iphone and Android applications makes donating food to the needy super easy by letting the user know where the closest food agency is located. Leket Israel, The National Food Bank and largest food rescue network is the first nonprofit in Israel to design such an App.

2/12/2012 11:48:00 AM

Jewish Toronto Leaders Honoured in Is...

SHALOM LIFE - Feb, 8, 2012. Henry and Julia Koschitzky, two of Jewish Toronto’s most prominent and generous philanthropists and community leaders were honoured in Israel recently at Leket Israel's 2nd Annual Gala Dinner, held on Kibbutz Nir Eliyahu. The evening, ''From the Field to the Plate – The Right of All to Healthy Food'' attracted 700 supporters and was dedicated to raising awareness an...

1/12/2012 1:44:00 PM

Gala dinner draws 700 supporters

PRESS RELEASE - Jan. 2012. Leket Israel's 2nd Annual Gala Dinner, held on Saturday night, January 7th at Eden Al Hamayim, honored Henry and Julia Koschitzky of Toronto. Nearly 700 people came out in support of Leket Israel's mission to reduce nutritional insecurity through the distribution of excess food to more than 60,000 needy Israelis daily. The evening, ''From the Field to the Plate – Th...

11/20/2011 10:05:00 AM

Leket: Bridging the Divide

MAKOM - ENGAGING ISRAEL - Nov. 2011. In a blog post titled: Hungry Families, Extra Food, Makom outlines the Biblical sources that support the plight of the needy and the importance of reducing hunger and redistributing food resources to those who need them most. The blog outlines the work of Leket Israel and encourages volunteers and donors to contribute to this vital cause. Makom is a partne...

11/20/2011 9:32:00 AM

Touring Israel's Food Landscape

THE JEW & THE CARROT - Nov. 16, 2011. In a blog post by Avigail Hurvitz-Prinz, Avigail details her experience last week as a participant on the Israel Sustainable Food Tour, sponsored by Hazon and the Heschel Center for Environmental Learning and Leadership. A destination on the itinerary included Leket Israel, where participants gleaned clementines and learned about the links between poverty...

10/27/2011 8:36:00 PM

Leket Israel Co-hosts Hockey Tourname...

The Israel Recreational Hockey Association in partnership with Leket Israel is hosting its annual recreational ice hockey tournament at the amazing Canada Center in Metulla, Israel Monday February 6 - 10. Proceeds from the event will go to support the charitable activities of Leket Israel, Israel's National Food Bank. Donations can also be made on the Tournament event page at: http://bsimchas....

10/24/2011 3:21:00 PM

Goldman Sachs Gives supports Leket Is...

PRESS RELEASE - Leket Israel, Israel’s National Food Bank, launched on October 16 (World Food Day 2011) a new agricultural farming Initiative supported by a $1.1 million grant awarded by Goldman Sachs Gives. The new program will allow Leket Israel to plant, grow and harvest their own fields to supplement rescued food and to better serve the 60,000 needy Israelis that the organization supports o...

10/5/2011 10:51:00 PM

Wine Club Event Draws 50 Members

New York, NY - September 21st, 2011. Leket Israel Wine Club Event in NY City's Tribeca neighborhood draws 50 supporters and wine club members. While guests were enjoying dinner and drinking exquisite Israeli wines, Joseph Gitler, Founder and Chairman of Leket Israel, spoke about the hunger and poverty issues in Israel, as well as how Leket Israel and its programs are helping alleviate Israel’...

9/9/2011 2:51:00 PM

Sustainable tour will hit the ground ...

THE JEWISH DAILY FORWARD (The Jew & the Carrot) - Sept 7, 2011. In a blog post by Dr. Jeremy Benstein, Mr. Benstein discusses the upcoming Israel Sustainable Food Tour including the tour's first stop where participants will hit the ground ''picking'' with Leket Israel.

7/16/2011 11:32:00 PM

Leket Israel ensures food never goes ...

YNET NEWS.COM ACTIVISM - AUG. 6, 2010. Founded in 2003, 'National Food Bank' seeks to liberate excess nutritious food that for variety of reasons would have been thrown out by delivering it to non-profit organizations who serve Israel’s poor.

7/13/2011 11:40:00 AM

Leket Israel Becomes Newest Member of...

Leket Israel recently became a certified member of the Global Foodbanking Network (GFN), a global nonprofit organization dedicated to creating and strengthening food banks and food bank networks across the world.

7/7/2011 2:46:00 PM

PHOTOS: Volunteers join in ceremony

Leket Israel volunteers and supporters were present during an award ceremony honoring Leket Israel with the ''Presidential Citation for Volunteerism''. We salute our more than 45,000 annual volunteers working to alleviate hunger and nutritional insecurity in the country.

6/23/2011 6:06:00 PM

Oberlander's Volunteer with Leket

Michael Oberlander, VP of Planning & Allocations of the St Louis Jewish Federation Board, writes a glowing account of his family's recent experience gleaning with Leket Israel. In his blog, Michael relates the mitzvah of leket to the Book of Ruth. He and his family were grateful to be able to ''work the land'' and do their part to help feed the hungry of Israel.

5/30/2011 10:22:00 PM

I SHOP FOR ISRAEL

Shop for participating brand name products and help Leket Israel. During the month of June, 25% of all commissions on purchases made on www.ishopforisrael.com will benefit Leket Israel's projects and activities.

2/23/2011 1:42:00 PM

Boston Jewish Community Women's Fund ...

Boston Jewish Community Women's Fund Awards $15,000 grant to Leket Israel (May 2010) Project Leket: The Leket Work Program

12/22/2010 11:32:00 AM

About Us

Founded in 2003, Leket Israel serves as the country's largest food bank and food rescue network actively working to alleviate the problem of nutritional insecurity among Israel's diverse population. Help Israel's Needy - Support Israel's National Food Bank. Read on to learn more.

12/22/2010 11:30:00 AM

About Us

Founded in 2003, Leket Israel serves as the country's largest food bank and food rescue network actively working to alleviate the problem of nutritional insecurity among Israel's diverse population. Help Israel's Needy - Support Israel's National Food Bank. Read on to learn more.

12/14/2010 2:21:00 PM

Leket Israel's Projects

Leket Israel runs several projects designed to alleviate nutritional insecurity including the organization's award-winning gleaning initiative - Project Leket, Sandwiches for Kids, Meal Rescue, Nutrition for Life, and Food Safety Support, among others.