In partnership with Leket Israel
Tens of thousands of tons of food are collected every year by Leket Israel, the national food rescue organization.
The nonprofit works to salvage surplus agricultural produce from hundreds of farmers across the country, as well as surplus food from the Israel Defense Forces and hotels, redistributing this high-quality food to social welfare organizations that serve hundreds of thousands of needy individuals each week.
This effort is powered by a vast volunteer network, with tens of thousands of people from Israel and abroad participating daily.
In 2024 alone, more than 95,000 volunteers took part in Leket Israel's activities, representing all sectors, ethnicities, and religions. Many Jewish volunteers arrive from abroad, driven by a sense of Zionism and a mission to contribute.
Following the October 7 attacks and the resulting crisis in agriculture, Leket Israel launched a special volunteer initiative to provide direct support to farmers, helping with harvesting, planting, and whatever else is needed.
The initiative has become a unique partnership between farmers, volunteers, and field coordinators, allowing farmers to continue cultivating their land and earn a living with dignity, while Israeli society takes part in a deeply meaningful act of mutual responsibility.
"We gathered that very evening and realized we were facing an event too large to grasp, we would have to completely change the way we operate," says attorney Ravit Dinmez-Yechzkel, deputy CEO for legal, government, and human resources at Leket Israel, describing how the agricultural volunteer effort came about. "Before October 7, the farmers were donating their produce. After the attack, we began buying from them. We encountered two major issues: a severe labor shortage and farmers stuck with unsellable produce, facing financial hardship. We decided to step in."
She adds: "Overnight, our food rescue sources dried up, and we feared there wouldn't be enough to distribute. We provided significant financial grants to southern farmers to help them recover, and we launched a loan program that now extends to the north as well."
Udi Gamliel, an olive grower from Moshav Yarkhib, receives help from Leket Israel. "On October 7, we felt abandoned, the workers disappeared. We lost the olive harvest that first year. In the second year, based on a friend's tip, I contacted Leket Israel. It was unbelievable, entire groups of volunteers came to help with pruning and harvesting. They saved my business and are still helping today."
Dinmez-Yechzkel reflects emotionally: "Yes, it's a business, but agriculture is our food security. We distribute the produce to those in need, but agriculture sustains the entire State of Israel. That's our resilience. Sadly, this isn't always understood."
Since October 7, Leket Israel has helped some 600 farmers, dispatching volunteers to each. Every group is accompanied by a coordinator or guide. One of them, Yoav Dagan, says: "We have tens of thousands of volunteers annually, from high school students to retirees. My goal is to make it a meaningful experience for both the volunteers and the farmers. We match volunteers to tasks, young people for physical work like pruning, retirees for packing houses where they excel. Many overseas groups come too, drawn by a deep connection and a desire to help Israel."
Farmer Udi Gamliel adds: "Volunteers range from newborns, families come with babies in car seats, to elderly Christian delegations from the Netherlands who believe the Holy Land should be clean, so they clean up the area. Some even celebrate birthdays through volunteer days."
Rami Hajbi, Gamliel's friend, volunteers regularly. "When he told me he needed help, I came and didn't leave his side. We'd finish with the olives, then head to the olive press and stay until 10 p.m. to see them through. I saw 80-year-olds working enthusiastically, it blew me away. They had such energy."
Gamliel concludes: "Israeli agriculture will always need help. There's endless work on the land, the more you work, the more there is to do. The volunteers love the trees, and the trees love them. The volunteering isn't just for us farmers, it gives the volunteers real satisfaction."
Dinmez-Yechzkel adds: "We witnessed incredible strength from the volunteers. At first, we thought it would taper off, initial enthusiasm, people wanting to help. But we surpassed 100,000 volunteers in agriculture alone. And they keep coming, even under rocket fire."
Asked about Leket's long-term vision, Dinmez-Yechzkel replies: "We hope there will be no need for Leket Israel, that no one will go hungry. But since the COVID pandemic and the Iron Swords War, the number of people in need has grown, and the high cost of living in Israel hasn't helped. We hope the national food security plan we're part of will eventually make our services redundant. Most of our funding comes from donations, and as long as we can fund this work, we're here."
