Donated funds will be used to purchase wine direct from wineries and deliver the purchased wines to the displaced families

Like many of you, I have been struggling with how I can make a difference and help Israel right now. While I've lived in the United States for quite some time already, Israel is my home and my home is hurting. Thankfully, I was lucky enough to find a way to help, if only in a small way. I flew back to Israel with sacks full of donated items and went from army base to army base distributing much need supplies to soldiers serving on the front lines. I also found some time to volunteer with packing and delivering packages, and visited with those displaced by the current ongoing conflicts, both to listen to their pain and remind them that they are not, and never will be, alone.

What I could not have predicted, however, was that I'd return not saddened, but invigorated. The resiliency and achdut of our Israeli brethren are quite literally incredible, their strength indefatigable, and their determination infectious. I left confident that not only will we overcome this latest attempt to break us, but that we will emerge a more unified and connected people. Still, I could not ignore the reality of the challenge, and the scope of the need. The support Israel receives from abroad is often the line between success and failure, what we do here in the United States isn't extra, it isn't just helping at the margins, it, we, are making a difference. If you speak to a soldier on the front lines as I did, and ask him what he's fighting for, he'll tell you that he's there to defend the entirety of the Jewish people, not only home or his country or those living in Israel right now, but Am Yisroel itself. When those of us across the globe do what we can to help support Israel, we are validating that belief. We are telling these soldiers that we understand their mission, and that we too know that they are defending us with their lives.

No matter the scope, anything you can do to “show up” for Israel during these times carries that message, reinforces that belief, and provides the soldiers and all Israelis with tremendous chizuk. Whether it be actually going to Israel and volunteering, attending rallies, praying, and/or sending packages, money and letters of support – it’s all important and really makes a difference financially and emotionally. 

One of the ways to help is by supporting the Israeli economy, which, as you'd expect, is truly struggling. As a wine writer and someone who has been supporting the Israeli wine industry for over 30 years, it has a special place in my heart. Like the rest of the Israeli economy, the Israeli wine industry is hurting tremendously. While most wineries competed harvest just prior to the atrocities of October 7th happened, the ongoing operations to eradicate these modern-day Nazi’s has severely impacted operations in a myriad of ways. 

Many of the workers have been called up to defend the country, leaving wineries devoid of help, including in the realm of marketing. Sales, deliveries, and the ever-important hospitality functions. 

With the current national mood, people are drinking less – at home, impacting sales at wine stores and at restaurants, debilitating one of Israeli wineries’ most important revenue sources. 

With tourism dramatically down and people not venturing out much, most of the wineries have shuttered their visitor centers. Additionally, with the need to stay within running distance of viable shelters, people are venturing out less and certainly not to wineries, negatively impacting another crucial source of income for the wineries. 

As such, together with Leket Israel, I’ve launched an initiative to strengthen our friends in the Israeli wine industry who bring us so much joy during the year while also trying to bring some medium of happiness and solace to the hundreds of thousands of Israeli families displaced by the constant barrage of rockets being launched into civilian areas on a daily basis. 

All donations to this cause are 100% tax deductible and will go towards purchasing wine directly from the Israeli wineries themselves, skipping the middle man, and providing them with much needed revenue to continue their operations (wine waits for nothing, not even war). To double down on our doing good, the purchased wine will then be distributed to the many families currently sheltering across the country which will hopefully provide them with some happiness (יין ישמח לבב אנוש) during these troubling times and show them that they aren’t alone!

We will be purchasing wines from all kosher Israeli wineries, with preference to those wineries that have been hurt the most from the situation, and those giving discounts for wines being donated to the displaced families. Depending on the winery, approximately every $350 buys one case of wine. I am personally in touch with the wineries to determine where and how we can be most effective with your generous donations. Leket will be helping to navigate those communities which will benefit most from the good cheer we hope the wine will bring! Please give as generously as you can!

Le’Chaim and Am Yisrael Chai,
Yossie

http://www.yossiescorkboard.com

About Leket Israel

In normal times, Leket Israel rescues 70,000,000 lbs. of fresh, surplus produce and cooked meat meals (that would otherwise be needlessly wasted) for redistribution to 234,000 Israelis in need each week, including Holocaust survivors, families living below the poverty line, struggling immigrants, at-risk youth, and other vulnerable populations. The food is distributed free of charge to Leket Israel’s 265 nonprofit partners. You can learn more about Leket here: leket.org/en/

Ways to Donate

• Online via Credit Card (all currencies): Click the blue "Donate Now" button on the top of this page
• Check to the US (USD only – will receive a US tax receipt): Made payable to "American Friends of Leket Israel" and send to: American Friends of Leket Israel, PO Box 2090, Teaneck, NJ 07666*
• Check to Canada (CAD only - will receive a Canadian tax receipt): Made payable to "Leket Canada" and send to: Leket Canada, PO Box 63057, University Plaza RPO, Dundas, ON L9H 6Y3 Canada*
• Check to Israel: Made payable to “Leket Israel” and send to: Leket Israel, P.O. Box 2297, Ra’anana, Israel*
• Donor Advised Fund, Wire, Stocks, Crypto, or Mutual Funds: Contact Elena at elena@leket.us or (201) 331-0070 x2.

*For all checks, please write in the memo "Israeli Wine Campaign" *

American Friends of Leket Israel is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. P.O. Box 2090, Teaneck, NJ 07666 ● leket.org/en ● elena@leket.us ● (201) 331-0070 x2 ● Tax ID #: 20-8202424