Our SNAP Challenge is drawing to a close. We made it through. We get to go back to our normal routine tomorrow. What were the key learnings?
• SNAP benefits are not enough to cover ALL the needs that food insecure families face. People who do this day in and day out have to scramble to meet other basic needs. Things like soap, toiletries are not included on SNAP. Fast food is not included on SNAP.
• This program works better is you have a well appointed kitchen, people who like to cook and support. Without Simon, I would not have eaten several meals.
• The biggest problem for me was an unpredictable schedule and lack of planning. Even when I planned that plan might not work, adding stress into the mix.
• The fear of where is the next meal coming from is real.
• I remain concerned about the social implications of being poor, on SNAP or otherwise. We actively sought out opportunities like the potluck dinner and like coffee with Ruth Messenger. For many, those social interactions would be just one more stressor.
• I am rethinking my program Java and Jews. It seemed like a cheap way to be out in the community and visible. But are we excluding some people for the cost of a cup of coffee? What other ways can I do that kind of thing?
• That 4PM headache? Probably coffee related. Going from a latte to just one cup of home brewed coffee…not enough caffeine.
We are sure there are other learnings but we are still processing the experience.

Today we wrapped up with our program at Hebrew School, Judaism Rocks. The kids made houses out of matzah and candy decorations. They were really cute. They made their own matzah, the bread of affliction, the bread of poverty and their own charoset. Then we gathered for a Hunger Seder. No fancy place settings. No extra food. Just apple juice, matzah, marror and charoset.

Based on a seder created by the Jewish Public Affairs Council, http://www.jewishpublicaffairs.org/Hagaddah/HungerSederHagaddah.pdf
We asked the four traditional questions, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” and then four new ones…
1. Why is this year different from all other years?
2. Why a Hunger Seder?
3. Why are there so many people hungry when there are government programs to support them?
4. How can we talk about hunger and ignore the obesity epidemic in the United States?

The families made four promises to go with the four cups of wine:
1. We will feed our communities today.
2. We will seek out those in need and act to nourish ourselves and our neighbors
3. We will use our power to persuade our leaders to abolish hunger in our communities
4. We will create a world where all Americans and all people are free from hunger.

So how do we take these learnings and move it into our usual life?
• We are committed to eating more meals at home and less on the go.
• We are committed to wasting less food in our house.
• We are committed to eating at least one vegetarian dinner a week.
• We are committed to creating the ongoing awareness and advocacy needed to end hunger. We have begun that already as we send Simon off to his annual Walk for Hunger in Boston.

I was reminded several times this week of the quote from Rabbi Tarfon in Pirke Avot. “Ours is not to finish the task. Neither are we free to ignore it.” Hunger is real in America. We must continue to work for the day when people will have enough to eat and none shall make them afraid.