The budget of the National Food Security Initiative will be nearly doubled after a decision reached this week by the Israeli High Court of Justice.
The initiative was founded by then-Welfare Minister and current Israel President Isaac Herzog. It is operated by Kollel Chabad, Israel's longest continuously running social services organization, founded by the Alter Rebbe in 1788 and supported by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ). The funding increase comes from coalition agreement budgets.
“We commend the High Court on this important decision that recognizes that basic demographic data is insufficient in determining the real extent of need presented by Israeli society and requires a more informed analysis of the Welfare Ministry,” said Rabbi Shalom Duchman, the director of Kollel Chabad. “We know it will allow us to provide a far more comprehensive response to fighting poverty in Israeli society and provide a better and more stable quality of living for thousands more families.”
Who is qualified to receive help?
The criteria of who can be a beneficiary of the program will now be based on needs assessments carried out by the Welfare Ministry. Previously, the Interior Ministry set criteria based on demographic factors of household size, the statement said.
“This important decision will help our work with the Welfare Ministry and Kollel Chabad to better identify those who need our support in ways that will not only benefit them but also help move Israeli society toward a better tomorrow,” said Yael Eckstein, the president of IFCJ.
“The Fellowship is committed to feeding as many people as we can, to finding those who need food, and to providing it to them,” Eckstein added. “We will not stop until every single person in Israel who has a need for food receives the basics that they deserve. It is such an honor to be involved in figuring out the important question of how we can feed more hungry people in Israel during these difficult times.”
In June 2022, it was reported that in an agreement signed by Labor, Social Affairs, and Social Services Minister Meir Cohen, the government would provide 72% of the NIS 155 million annual budget for the National Security Initiative pilot program.