The man who couldn't watch Israel throw its food away: The story of Leket Israel

Joseph Gitler, originally from New York, established Leket Israel, the country's national food bank, driven by a stark contradiction he witnessed: widespread poverty coexisting with substantial food waste from hotels and events.

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What got under his skin was a contradiction he couldn't unsee: a country full of people in poverty, and hotel breakfasts and wedding buffets that ended the night as full as they began.

What began as a one-man operation, with Gitler collecting leftovers in his car, has grown over 23 years into a major organization. Leket Israel now employs 180 staff members and mobilizes over 100,000 volunteers each year. Utilizing refrigerated vans and partnering with 400 agencies, the food bank serves communities across Israel.

Gitler highlights the concept of "startup nation poverty," referring to individuals left behind by the country's technological boom. He notes that a staggering 40 to 50 percent of food produced in Western countries is discarded. Leket Israel's work is rooted in the biblical term "leket," which signifies the gleanings left at the edge of a field for the poor.

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40 to 50 percent of the food grown in the West is thrown out.

The events of October 7th significantly impacted Leket Israel's operations. The organization pivoted to support farmers in areas near Gaza that became inaccessible and assisted hotels facing closures due to a lack of tourists. They provided volunteer buses, an emergency loan fund, and direct financial aid to farmers they had previously worked with, demonstrating resilience and continued commitment to alleviating hunger.

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leket is the biblical word for the gleanings a farmer leaves at the edge of his field for the poor.