(By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5TJT.com)

This year, it happened in the car park to the Malcha train station in South Jerusalem.  Normally, it takes place in north-central Jerusalem – at the corner of Shmuel HaNavi and Shivtei Yisroel.  What we are talking about, of course, is a remarkable Satmar-led distribution of food for Pesach, also called “Kimcha d’Pischa” known as the world’s largest distribution of food packages.

There were 15,000 families that received food packages, ranging from meat, to Matzah, to eggs, potatoes, and onions – all staples of the Pesach Yom Tov.  The recipients ranged across the full gamut of residents of Yerushalayim: Litvish families, Sefardic families, Bucharian families, Chassidish families, as well as dati leumi families.

The Satmar organization that runs this remarkable display is called “Oneg Shabbos v’Yom Tov.” It’s founder is Rav Ephraim Stern, a leader of the Reb Zalman Satmar Chassidim.  He has been doing this since 1979. One of his main financial backers in this endeavor is Reb Shlomo Yehudah Rechnitz, of Los Angeles, California.

The change in venue was prompted by the deadly COVID-19 virus and was coordinated with both the police and the Ministry of Health.  Initially, there was trepidation as to whether Rabbi Stern would be permitted to run the distribution this year.  At a meeting with officials he explained, “There will anyway be a run on the food markets even without my distribution.”  The decision was made to only allow one family member from each family.

Rabbi Stern remarked that giving tzedakah at this time is one way to negate or soften the harsh gzairah.  Rabbi Stern was referencing the Gemorah in Rosh haShana 16b. that discusses how one can mitigate harsh decrees.

Changing the venue is one thing, but how did they deal with the actual distribution in the midst of COVID-19 guidelines?

The workers wore masks and gloves.  Those receiving the packages remained in their vehicles.  And the bags of potatoes and onions were placed and loaded onto the cars by other workers.

On average, each family received about $350 worth of food. The total amounts of food delivered are staggering. 120,000 pounds of meat, 40,000 pounds of Matzah, 40,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables,  125,000 bottles of grape juice,  and two million eggs.

The author can be reached at [email protected]

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)