As Pesach approaches, the staff and volunteers of Migdal Ohr are out in full force, operating a major nationwide Chag Saveah “Full Holiday” for the Children campaign. In the wake of October 7, rising poverty, and food insecurity, thousands of families in Israel require vital donations to ensure that they can celebrate Pesach with the bare necessities.
This initiative was started by the teens of Migdal Ohr and is dedicated to distributing food baskets to families in need before Rosh Hashanah and Passover. The aim of the project is to deliver nutritious food to 25,000 of the most vulnerable children and families struggling with food insecurity before the holidays. The organization has dedicated this year’s campaign to the loving memory of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, z’l, and all the children and families we lost on October 7th. Migdal Ohr hopes that the unity and generosity that the campaign generates will elevate their memories and serve as an eternal merit for their families.
With over 872,000 children in Israel living below the poverty line, the Chag Saveah campaign is a lifeline for families struggling to put food on the table on Pesach. Migdal Ohr’s students and hundreds of volunteers from youth movements, the IDF, and many companies, unite to ensure that no child is left behind during this meaningful yom tov. A recent survey conducted by Menachem Lazar of the Lazar Research Institute for Migdal Ohr paints a bleak picture of the state of poverty in Israel. The majority of survey participants (54%) reported that the October 7th War significantly impacted their economic situation, with 42% saying it hurt them “quite a bit” and 12% stating it hurt them “a lot.”
Chag Saveah for Children began in 2004 as a grassroots initiative led by students at Migdal Ohr’s educational institutions in Migdal HaEmek in the north of Israel.
Understanding the value of giving, these students felt compelled to pay it forward by assembling and distributing food packages to other children in need. What started with 500 food packages has grown into a nationwide movement that touches tens of thousands of lives every year. Rabbi Grossman, the founder of Migdal Ohr, saw their initiative and helped the teens grow their vision into a major nationwide initiative.
This year, there are multiple food assistance programs being operated by Chag Saveah to meet the urgent need for food assistance. When you contribute to Chag Saveah for Pesach, your gift sponsors matzah, nutritious holiday foods, and essentials for Migdal Ohr’s dorm families, families of fallen soldiers, and those who lost everything on October 7th. The distribution this year breaks down as follows:
Basic Holiday Food Packages. 8,000 families will receive essential food to celebrate the holiday with dignity.
Fresh Meat, Chicken, Fish, & Egg Distribution. Multiple distribution points across Jerusalem and central Israel will ensure that struggling families have nutritious meals.
Vouchers for Soldiers. 500 brave soldiers, many of whom have been on the front lines, will receive $180 vouchers to help them celebrate the holidays.
Vouchers for Families in Need. 1,100 families will receive $180 each to buy holiday essentials.
Extra Support for Large Families. 500 families with two children will receive 1,000 NIS each, 260 large families (5+ children) will receive 2,000 NIS each.
Direct Assistance for Orphans & IDF Widows. Emergency funds are being distributed to hundreds who have lost loved ones in recent tragedies.
By ensuring that they can set their Seder tables, you are giving more than food: you are giving them the strength and encouragement to keep going even when they feel they can’t go any further. Rabbi Grossman unites Israelis through giving and expresses the urgent need to help those who cannot put food on the table.
For over 20 years, the Migdal Ohr campaign has brought together people from all walks of Israeli society, secular, Haredi, soldiers, students, celebrities, and politicians, to create a national movement of unity and kindness. Under the leadership of Rabbi Yitzchak Dovid Grossman, Chag Saveah embodies the spirit of giving and ensures that every Jewish family can enjoy the holiday season with dignity.
Rabbi Grossman shared his thoughts on the growing need for food assistance, telling the Ma’arivnewspaper: “Every year, we are forced to deal with a constant increase in demand for food aid and are required to provide a solution to all those families who enter the circle of distress for the first time in their lives. These are families who used to donate to the campaign and who now need our help themselves.
“Personally, I am struck by the gap when I see skyscrapers rising in Tel Aviv and hear about high-tech companies getting rich, and the reality is, unfortunately, that there are hundreds of thousands of children in Israel who live in poverty. Thanks to our partners and many donors, we will achieve our mission of saving Israeli society.”
Join us to ensure that tens of thousands of Israeli families can celebrate with dignity and joy this Pesach. Please visit MigdalOhrUSA.org/Passover to donate securely. Together, we can ensure that every child and family in Israel celebrates with happiness and dignity. For more information contact American Friends of Migdal Ohr (AFMO) by calling 646-318-4918 or by e-mail atara@migdalohrusa.org.