Baltimore, MD - Oct. 17, 2018 - Tucked into a lightly wooded area just outside of the Jerusalem neighborhood of Talpiot, one can find of one of Israel’s most innovative and enterprising volunteer tourism operations - known as Pantry Packers.  

The program is an initiative of Colel Chabad, the charitable arm of the Chabad Lubavitch movement, and Israel’s longest-running social services organization. Colel Chabad was founded in 1788 by the first Lubavitcher Rebbe with the goal of supporting the then small Jewish community living in the Holy Land.  Today, Colel Chabad runs a growing network of programs including a series of food banks and food delivery programs and other services for the needy, widowed and elderly as well as implementing the National Program for Food Security in cooperation with the Ministry of Welfare.

Pantry Packers was developed and operates with a vision of making volunteering both fun and accessible, beyond the scope of typical food-service organizations. By fashioning the food packaging as an “experience” the facility has attracted participation of both Israelis and visiting tourists.  The program is an initiative of Rabbi Menachem Traxler, director of volunteering for Colel Chabad.

Rabbi Traxler first conceived of the concept of Pantry Packers as a means to engage tourists in helping Israel’s needy and allowing them receive as additional sense of giving. After a brief video and explanation of the task they are about to complete, volunteers get to work at filling, bagging, sealing, labeling and boxing dry food goods that are then sent to the Colel Chabad distribution centers around the country.

“The idea is that people want to have the chance to give back to the needy community in Israel in a way that is family friendly and fun,” he said.  “Many of our groups are here to celebrate a family simcha or just a vacation so our program allows them to add a sense of meaning to the overall Israel experience.” A family visit at Pantry Packers, by the Silverman family from Chicago three years ago inspired 12-year old Talya to create a virtual food drive in honor of her Bat Mitzvah and helped raise close to $1400 for Colel Chabad. 

Now a newly dedicated interactive visitors center is the first stop for those coming to the Jerusalem facility. Visitors can take a few minutes to browse a visual history of charity dating back to the time of Abraham or view letters to and from philanthropist and supporter Moses Montefiore dating back to the 1870’s. Other archival items on display, including bank transfer documentation from the Ottoman Bank in Jerusalem, registry of families needing support in the 1800’s, and a coin and stamp collection from the 19th and 20th centuries, give visitors a sense of Israel’s history.

A series of audio exhibits tell the story of the people who are most often forgotten, including a profile of a widow, mother of three beautiful children, and the story of a lonely Shoah survivor who is provided with a hot meal and companionship at one the Colel Chabad soup kitchens. These personal glimpses into the lives of the many hidden needy families around Israel show the visitor how this simple activity of packing food will help support them for a month or beyond. Younger volunteers can enjoy the interactive screens and virtual donation and see how their donation of time and charity can spread far and wide to help hundreds of people in different ways. 

“When people take a few minutes to understand who and how they are helping, they connect more with the task at hand,” explains Traxler. “This makes it a relevant and educational experience for participants of nearly all ages, from preschoolers to seniors.”

Individual and group entrance to Pantry Packers is completely free of charge, although guests are respectfully encouraged to help financially support the work of the organization so as to offset the very substantial food purchase and distribution costs.  

Click here to find out more or to register for a visit to Pantry Packers and to support the work of Colel Chabad.