Skip to main content

Have Passover food drives gotten out of control?

Some claim the tradition of donating food to the poor so they can enjoy a generous Passover dinner has turned into a giant, wasteful charity enterprise.
RTX2AO7Q.jpg
Read in 

An old Jerusalem story tells of a Jew who invited a friend for Passover dinner and hosted him lavishly — in his kitchen. During dinner, the guest questioned his host discreetly as to why the festive dinner was not being served in the dining room. The dining room, the host explained, was filled to capacity with sacks of potatoes.

The story illustrates the amusing, sometimes absurd situation that precedes the Passover holiday every year in April, when the homes of many needy families are filled to overflowing with massive amounts of food products donated to help them celebrate the seven-day holiday.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.