My Turn: Feeding the hungry a sacred obligation

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Published: 06-28-2025 9:03 PM |
“Breadline Blues” — one of the haunting anthems of the Great Depression — tells the story of a man who saw all of his fellow “good folks” in distress at the changing economic collapse. The person in the story is an everyman; a worker looking for a better life who even after all his efforts is still stuck in a breadline. His story echoes from our past to this moment, as Congress considers deep cuts to food-assistance programs that millions of Americans rely on today.
During the Great Depression, the scale of need was staggering – too great for government or charity alone to meet. That crisis gave birth to the New Deal which has continued to care for those in our society in need with a social safety net designed to prevent hunger, despair, and devastation. And that hard-learned lesson of the 1930s remains urgent. Hunger persists in every corner of America — urban and rural — in schools, suburbs and senior centers. According to 2023 U.S. Census data, 36.8 million Americans live in poverty — more than 1 in 10 people — including more than 9 million children.
Our nation’s response to hunger has always been twofold: private charity and public policy. Food pantries, soup kitchens and faith-based organizations, such as Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, do vital work in our local communities. However, nonprofits provide only about 6.25% of the food assistance in this country. The vast majority — more than 93% — comes from government programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, supports more than 1.1 million Massachusetts residents, or 1 in 6 people in the commonwealth. More than 50% of SNAP participants are in families with children and nearly 70% of SNAP beneficiaries in the commonwealth are at, or below, the poverty line. In Hampden County, more than 115,000 residents depend on SNAP benefits to put food on the table. These individuals are our neighbors. Many are children. Many are seniors. Many work full-time and yet still can’t make ends meet.
Jewish tradition is clear: Feeding the hungry is not optional. It is a mitzvah — a sacred obligation. Our most sacred texts are filled with references to feeding the hungry and caring for our community who is in need.
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges ... you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger” (Leviticus 23:22).
“Share your bread with the hungry” (Isaiah 58:7).
Now is the time to act. Proposed SNAP cuts currently under consideration in the reconciliation bill moving through Congress would take food off the tables of millions of Americans, including thousands in our local community. I believe that we are called not only to give, but also to speak out for those whose voices go unheard.
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Call your senators and representatives. Urge them to oppose cuts to SNAP. Join with local faith communities, advocacy groups, and organizations who are working to protect this critical benefit for residents across Massachusetts. As a Jewish communal faith leader, my tradition calls me to raise my voice. As Bay Staters, and as human beings, we are called to act. Our history demands compassion. Justice demands courage. Our neighbors need both.
Rabbi James Greene is the CEO of Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts. To learn how you can support JFS’ efforts to address food insecurity, email j.greene@jfswm.org.