Our tradition demands that we open our hand to those in need (Deut 15:7-8). Every High Holy Day season, Conservative/Masorti congregations participate in Operation Isaiah, our Movement-wide food drive. We believe deeply in feeding our neighbors through tzedakah—but charity alone cannot end hunger.

More than 47 million Americans—including children, veterans, active-duty military families, older adults, people with disabilities, and working families—experience food insecurity. Over 5 million people have already lost access to SNAP because of H.R. 1, at a time when families are facing some of the highest grocery prices in years alongside rising housing, health care, child care, transportation, and utility costs.

Beginning in fiscal year 2027, states will also be required to cover 75% of SNAP administrative costs, shifting an estimated $17 billion in expenses from the federal government to the states over five years. These changes threaten states' ability to administer the program effectively and risk creating additional barriers for eligible families seeking food assistance.