Poor families get NIS 500 for holiday food

International Fellowship of Christians and Jews distributes thousands of electronic cards to Israel's needy ahead of Rosh Hashana

Ynetnews |Published: 09.27.11 , 09:21

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) is providing 9,000 of the poorest families and children in Israel with electronic cards to buy food in Shufersal supermarkets ahead of Rosh Hashana.

The food cards, NIS 500 ($135) each, amount to a total of NIS 4.5 million ($1.22 million). They will enable families to pick and purchase food and drinks (the card is blocked for alcohol and cigarettes). The Shufersal chain rewards each card with an additional 20% discount.

In addition to the food cards, 15,500 children in welfare after schools facilities and boarding schools were provided with a NIS 300 ($81) card to purchase shoes and clothing in the H&O chain stores across Israel. The total sum of project "To the children with love" is nearly NIS 10 million ($2.7 million).

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, IFCJ founder and president, expressed concern for children in need: "As those who worry for the future of the State of Israel, we must strengthen these children and families and give them tools to build a better future.

"We do this with the generous and continued help of Israeli supporters within Christian communities in North America. These friends keep backing Israel and Israelis in need regardless of political atmosphere. We are happy to provide these gift cards and wish them a happy successful year."

"This year we chose to provide families of children in need with electronic cards, a new and respectable method of support that does not force them to stand in lines receiving what someone else chose for them", said IFCJ CEO Zion Gabai.

"Our organization has decided to tackle the subject of Food security and eliminating hunger in Israel as one of its primary initiative for the New Year. We hope that this year, in cooperation with the government, we will make significant steps towards insuring nutritional security for every Israeli".

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ), headquartered in Chicago and Jerusalem, was founded in 1983 by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein for the purpose of building bridges of cooperation and understanding between both faith communities and together supporting Israel and Jews in need throughout the world.

To date, the IFCJ has raised two-thirds of a billion dollars to support programs aiding the sick, elderly, orphaned and at-risk populations in Israel, the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia, India, Latin America, and Arab countries.