September is Hunger Action Month. The Torah and Jewish tradition are explicit in commanding that we feed the hungry. "And when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap all the way to the edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger. I the Eternal am your God. (Leviticus 23:22)"

In our area, the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank provides food and other essential items to member agencies in eight Northeast Ohio counties: Carroll, Holmes, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas, and Wayne. These member agencies operate more than 600 food pantries, hot meal sites, shelters, and other hunger-relief programs in the neighborhoods and communities where people need food. The national organization Feeding America estimates that the food insecurity rate in Summit County is 13.8% of the total population and the child food insecurity rate is 19.1%. These staggering statistics put Summit County second after Stark county in these measures of food insecurity.

During Temple Israel's annual High Holiday fundraising campaign, please help families in our community put food on their tables, and support seniors who live on a fixed income and must decide whether to buy food or pay for necessary prescription medications. You can participate in three ways:

(1) Temple will once again partner with the Akron-Canton Foodbank to collect non-perishable food. Pick up a shopping bag at Rosh Hashana services or during business hours and return the filled bag on Yom Kippur Day (Sept. 25).

(2) Pick up a donation envelope at Rosh Hashana services or during business hours and return it to Temple on Yom Kippur (Sept. 24-25)

(3) Make a financial donation online. For every $1 donation received, the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank can provide 4 nutritious meals to individuals in our community.

Thank you for your support, and have a sweet new year.