In July, MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger announced nearly $3.5 million in new grants to 52 local anti-hunger partner organizations, expanding its investment in fighting food insecurity. 

Their new grants are for organizations advocating for the people of Puerto Rico, indigenous communities in the U.S. and vulnerable populations in Israel, as well as partners in Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas and Oklahoma.

Inspired by Jewish values and ideals, MAZON is a national advocacy organization working to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds. Since 2018, MAZON has invested over $17 million in 19 states, Puerto Rico, Indian Country and Israel.

Built on nearly four decades of seeding, supporting and strengthening the anti-hunger advocacy movement in communities across the U.S., MAZON’s innovative “Emerging Advocacy Fund” grantmaking model builds foundations for public policy change in communities with particularly high rates of food insecurity. 

“Our grantmaking serves as a key driver of our work nationally and in Israel, building a network of advocates for long-term solutions, advancing local and state policies that can make a difference in the lives of people struggling with hunger and food insecurity,” Mia Hubbard, MAZON’s executive vice president, told the Journal. “Our trusted partners are deeply committed to this work with us, and we are proud to seed them with the tools to advocate forcefully and effectively for change.”

Since its founding, MAZON has been working to address food security and poverty issues in Israel. In the beginning, there was neither a meaningful system of emergency charitable aid to address food insecurity in Israel nor government policies needed to address the roots of hunger. MAZON set out to build both. 

These foundations, strengthened over decades, have been essential to supporting Israelis of all backgrounds in the last year since the Oct. 7 attacks. Amid concerns about ongoing systemic issues in Israel, including the high cost of food, industry workers going without income and food systems being disrupted, MAZON and its partners continue raising awareness and advocating for policy solutions at all levels of government.

MAZON’s grantee partners in Israel include 121 Engine for Social Change, Adva Center, ASSAF – Aid Organization for Refugees, Itach Ma’aki – Women Lawyers for Social Justice, Latet, Solidarity Film Festival and The Israel Forum for Sustainable Nutrition (Tel Aviv); Jerusalem Food Rescuers, Kerem, Rabbis for Human Rights and Sikkuy-Aufoq (Jerusalem); Leket Israel and Nevet (Ra’anana); Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality and Sidreh (Omer) and Pitchon Lev  (Rishon LeZion).

“MAZON’s support is particularly crucial as we address a significant gap in Jerusalem’s municipal policies; the municipality of Jerusalem does not currently have a food policy or recognize food as a field requiring one,” said Daniella Seltzer (co-founder) and Maytal Lochoff (urban food policy coordinator) of the Jerusalem Food Rescuers. “MAZON’s support allows us to create a food council that will place food systems and food security on the agenda. This support is crucial in helping us achieve these milestones.”

Hubbard explained that food insecurity is growing in both the U.S. and Israel, while political leaders engage in increasingly partisan battles, rather than enacting policies to address it. 

Hubbard explained that food insecurity is growing in both the U.S. and Israel, while political leaders engage in increasingly partisan battles, rather than enacting policies to address it. “That’s why it is so critical that programs like MAZON’s Emerging Advocacy Fund invest in our partner’s vital anti-hunger work in some of the most food insecure places in the U.S.,” she said. “Achieving food justice requires time and persistence, and MAZON is proud to commit to long-term partnerships with advocates on the ground through its multi-year grantmaking model to support systemic changes in our food system.” She added, “We are extremely proud of our partners in the U.S. and Israel who work every day to end hunger and address inequity with wisdom, creativity and resilience.”

To learn more, go to MAZON.org. 

When Jewish college students return to campus this fall, it will be, “barring a miracle,” the first time since the Israeli War for Independence that American Jewish students go back to school while the Jewish state is actively at war, Jacob Baime, CEO of Israel on Campus Coalition, told JNS.

“Hasn’t happened since 1948,” Baime said, on the sidelines of the group’s annual conference in Washington, D.C., which began on Sunday and runs through Tuesday. “That reality sets the table for this summit.”

The event drew 500 students this year—up from 400 last year and 200 in 2022—from 153 campuses, according to Baime. That’s more than 118 last year, he added.

“There’s so much demand from the students to come together and to stand up for what’s right,” he said. “One of the things we’re really thinking about is how many seats do we need next year? Should it be 750? Should it be a 1,000-student conference? Probably that’s what we’re moving towards, because there’s such demand.”

Matching the opposition

Since the Hamas terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, pro-Israel students have wanted “to get up off the bench,” said Baime.

“That has been inspiring,” he told JNS. “It has been a dramatic increase in interest among pro-Israel students, so even as it’s becoming more challenging to stand up for Israel and to stand up for what’s right, more students want to do it.”

But he cautioned that the Jewish state’s opponents are also organizing, and there is “a very sophisticated, professional, coordinated national network of anti-Israel students and professionals.”

Baime hopes the conference will help student attendees build broad alliances beyond the pro-Israel base; find their online voices as digital activists; and help their peers understand that Israel and the United States have shared values.

He emphasized that “this is not just about Israel.”

Physical safety

Security, including situational awareness and self-defense, was a focus at the conference.

Security, including situational awareness and self-defense, was a focus at the conference.

“One of the top things that we’ve heard from students is that they’re concerned about physical safety,” Baime said, noting that Secure Community Network, Hillel International and Chabad on Campus International partner with the group.

“We’re lucky that the Jewish and pro-Israel communities have taken this really seriously,” he said.

Baime noted being surprised that speakers were able to attend the event from Israel. “We were thinking, are any of our Israel-based speakers going to make it because of the security situation in Israel?” he said. “They were, and they did. They all made it.”

Unlike in prior years, the group brought in an outside security company that provided the sort of security that TSA offers at airports.

“It’s an unfortunate reality that we have to take physical security very, very seriously,” Baime told JNS. “It is a huge change. We hired a big national firm to handle it that has assets around the country.”

He’s already thinking ahead to next year’s event.

“It’s one of those things where we’ll have to take a leap, and we need to sign with a hotel real soon if we’re going to do it,” Baime said. “The challenge isn’t going away. The demand is not going away, and we’re not going anywhere either.”