Federation events help feed hungry

By JEWISH REVIEW

article created on: 2009-02-01T00:00:00

Every time the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland sells tickets to an event, such as Impact or Men’s Night Out, 3 percent of those proceeds are sent to Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger.

“I think we were the first federation to adopt this program,” said JFGP Executive Vice President Charles Schiffman. “Mazon really aimed it at synagogues for life cycle celebrations.”

According to its Web site (www.mazon.org), “Historically, rabbis did not allow celebrations to begin until the community’s poor and hungry people were seated and fed. Mazon offers Jews a symbolic way to observe this tradition by donating 3 percent of the cost of life-cycle celebrations, such as bar/bat mitzvahs, weddings, anniversaries and other joyous occasions, to help feed those who are less fortunate.”

While the federation supports many agencies that fight hunger and is active in advocating for the food insecure in the state, “this is an opportunity to make a very immediate gesture to confront the issue of hunger in our society,” said JFGP Communications Director Josh Stein.

Mazon’s Web site reports that through 2008, Mazon has granted more than $47 million to hunger-relief organizations around the world.

Mazon’s last annual report lists local recipient agencies including Jewish Family and Child Service, Oregon Food Bank, Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force and Sisters of the Road Café.