Passover Celebrants Help the Hungry

Jews have a special opportunity to help feed New York City's hungry at the start of Passover, which begins this year on April 19. Each year, many Jews prepare for the holiday by cleaning their kitchens of "chometz" - foods that are not considered kosher for Passover. These foods can include staples like cans of soup or vegetables, boxes of cereal, crackers or pasta, bottles of oil or ketchup, and bags of dried beans and grains. Instead of being discarded, such unopened non-perishables can be donated to City Harvest, which distributes safe, nutritious food to emergency food programs in all five boroughs.

"Passover is a time when Jews retell their history of struggle and survival. By donating to City Harvest, this tradition helps hungry families of all creeds as they struggle to survive in New York City today," City Harvest Executive Director Julia Erickson said. "Our trucks make special pick-ups during the week before Passover so that Jewish families making their homes kosher for Passover need not waste good food."

Last year, City Harvest collected 16,640 pounds of food from Jews preparing for Passover.

Many synagogues throughout New York City collect food for City Harvest. Check with your synagogue to find out about their food drive. To learn how to organize a food drive at your synagogue, contact City Harvest Food Drive Coordinator Howard Cohen at

Return to News Archives Back to Top