# Are people in Israel starving? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 3, 2016, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005 "2016-04-03T00:09:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/1 "2016-04-03T00:09:12Z")
There’s been a commercial on TV lately asking people to give money to provide food boxes to Israelis. According to the ad (or at least according to my memory of it – a very different thing), the Israeli government has to devote so much of its resources to fighting terrorism that there isn’t money left to provide food for its citizens. People can’t even buy matzo for the upcoming Passover season. So is this true? Is there broad starvation in Israel? Or is something else going on? (I thought about posting this in the general question forum, but decided that it’s fairly likely responses will be at least partly conjecture.) ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/2 "2016-04-03T00:15:06Z")
I think it’s just ridiculous hyperbole. However, if they just said “we have poor Israelis, please help”, it probably wouldn’t have engendered as much sympathy. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/3 "2016-04-03T00:40:39Z")
I saw that commercial and wanted to look into the organization. The appeal seems ridiculous with some old person saying they were too poor to afford a piece of matzo. The [wiki page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Fellowship_of_Christians_and_Jews)indicates they are a legitimate charity serving many causes. There is a [page critical of them here](http://ministrywatch.com/articles/ifcj.aspx), but it’s not clear if the criticisms are based on facts or not. I get the feeling there will be a lot of criticism from groups that are dedicated to one religion or the other, so getting a clear picture may be difficult, but the ad seems to be way over the top. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/4 "2016-04-03T00:48:11Z")
Charity begins at home and etc. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/5 "2016-04-03T02:00:34Z")
It’s interesting that the ads are playing to a conservative audience–many of whom are presumably fine with their own fellow [Americans going hungry](https://www.rt.com/usa/337926-americans-food-stamps-benefits/). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/6 "2016-04-03T02:17:55Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > It’s interesting that the ads are playing to a conservative audience–many of whom are presumably fine with their own fellow [Americans going hungry](https://www.rt.com/usa/337926-americans-food-stamps-benefits/). Only under certain conditions that would seem reasonable to meet, per your cite: > [@](#): > > In order to keep their access to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) for more than three months, able-bodied adults ages 18-49 who don’t have children or other dependents must work, volunteer, or enroll in a job-training program for 20 hours a week or more. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/7 "2016-04-03T02:22:40Z")
Right, because jobs are so plentiful. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/8 "2016-04-03T02:37:36Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Only under certain conditions that would seem reasonable to meet, per your cite: Do you honestly believe that a lot of Americans aren’t going to go to bed hungry because of these cut-backs? I’ll do my best to help you see why these “certain conditions” are bullshit: - It is possible to be disabled while technically being “able-bodied” according to the state. - It is possible to have received all the job training available to you and still be unable to find a job. - It is practically impossible to volunteer for an organization when you don’t have reliable transportation. - Just because you don’t have dependent children doesn’t mean you aren’t someone’s caretaker (like an elderly parent or grandparent). - It is also possible to be employed and also in need of food assistance, given the debt burdens that people are carrying (student loans), exorbitant housing costs, and low wages. A lot of Americans are going to suffer because of these cut-backs unless food banks are able to pick up the slack. This is doubtful since most are already [struggling](http://www.villagevoice.com/news/new-york-citys-food-pantries-are-struggling-to-keep-up-with-a-growing-demand-for-meals-7949422). ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/9 "2016-04-03T05:14:30Z")
Starving? Are you kidding? That ad in the OP is just a _schnorr_. There is a certain class of people in Israel who will do anything they can to avoid working for a living - don’t encourage them. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2016, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/10 "2016-04-03T06:00:10Z")
Israelis are suffering from lack of cell phone coverage in Negev desert … that’s kinda close to starvation … ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2016, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/11 "2016-04-04T21:58:16Z")
**Are people in Israel starving?** Yes, so eat your vegetables. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2016, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/12 "2016-04-04T22:05:22Z")
For what it’s worth, this organization has a decent rating on [Charity Navigator](http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3889#.VwLka1rO1So). ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/13 "2016-04-05T02:54:06Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > For what it’s worth, this organization has a decent rating on [Charity Navigator](http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=3889#.VwLka1rO1So). Although its financial rating is substantially lower than its accountability & transparency rating. [MinistryWatch.com](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ministry_Watch) back in 2013 [offered some harsher criticisms:](http://ministrywatch.com/articles/ifcj.aspx) > [@](#): > > Many have no doubt seen the rather frequent and emotion-laden advertisements on Fox News asking for your donations to help struggling Jewish people around the world. The ads come from the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) founded and run by Rabbi Yeckiel Eckstein. […] Unfortunately, television advertising is quite expensive, which is why few ministries utilize it. Using the ministry’s audited financial statements, [MinistryWatch.com](http://MinistryWatch.com) calculates the ministry’s fundraising costs amount to 14% of its revenues, almost three times the level of the average ministry in our database. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), however, allow non-profits considerable leeway in how they handle fundraising expenses. Some observers put IFCJ’s fundraising costs at as high as 39% after adjusting the accounting information to more realistically reflect the ministry’s actual fundraising costs. > > Additionally, Rabbi Eckstein’s total compensation in 2012 amounted to over $1.2 million! Moreover, compensation paid to two of Rabbi Eckstein’s daughters and a son-in law amounts to over $250,000. Combining the adjusted fundraising costs noted above and his compensation, over 40% of a donor dollar goes to fundraising and Rabbi Eckstein’s excessive compensation. While IFCJ clearly also does considerable good work, donors can certainly get a much better “bang for their buck” by supporting other ministries serving the Jewish people. We noted recently the good work of the Joshua Fund and would recommend donors consider it along with Bridges for Peace and Christians Friends of Israel. These are all much smaller ministries (largely because they do not use emotional TV advertising), but which send more of the donor’s gift to help the actual needs that exist, while simultaneously avoiding paying their founders and CEO’s exorbitant compensation. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/14 "2016-04-05T15:36:37Z")
Already cited in post #3. ---
**Author:** ![Anny\_Middon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bc79bd/32.png) [@Anny\_Middon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anny_Middon)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/15 "2016-04-05T20:33:32Z")
Thank you all for your responses. The ad still seems totally bizarre to me. I’m pretty sure Israel is considered a first world country. Are there any other examples of charity solicitations to provide food for a first world country that’s not due to some sort of natural disaster? For that matter, are there ads to raise money for food for citizens of second- or third-world countries not due to a natural disaster? I can’t think of any, but it occurs to me there may be such ads on TV stations (such as ones that aren’t primarily in English) that I never watch. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/16 "2016-04-05T21:29:44Z")
Leaders may not like hearing about it, but there are people going hungry at least some of the time in many if not all first world countries. I see public appeals from our local food bank (which we donate to), and food banks are busy elsewhere in the U.S. and [European](http://www.bbc.com/news/business-27032642) [Union](http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-food-banks-and-soup-kitchens-struggle-with-demand-a-941661.html), as well as [Israel](http://www.leket.org). ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/17 "2016-04-05T21:59:12Z")
> [@Anny\_Middon](#): > > Thank you all for your responses. The ad still seems totally bizarre to me. > > I’m pretty sure Israel is considered a first world country. Are there any other examples of charity solicitations to provide food for a first world country that’s not due to some sort of natural disaster? For that matter, are there ads to raise money for food for citizens of second- or third-world countries not due to a natural disaster? > > I can’t think of any, but it occurs to me there may be such ads on TV stations (such as ones that aren’t primarily in English) that I never watch. Did you read **Kimtsu** ’s reply just a few posts above? Seems to me, the ad is motivated more by profit than altruism. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2016, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/18 "2016-04-05T22:02:36Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Did you read **Kimtsu** ’s reply just a few posts above? > > Seems to me, the ad is motivated more by profit than altruism. Keep in mind that the criticism came from a competing single faith charity. Follow the link and read the criticism of the criticism in the comments. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/19 "2016-04-06T16:07:38Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > It’s interesting that the ads are playing to a conservative audience–many of whom are presumably fine with their own fellow [Americans going hungry](https://www.rt.com/usa/337926-americans-food-stamps-benefits/). Oh come on, many liberals donate to charities for relief abroad. Are they too OK with Americans going hungry? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2016, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005/20 "2016-04-06T16:20:14Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Oh come on, many liberals donate to charities for relief abroad. Are they too OK with Americans going hungry? Sometimes sure-there is not an insignificant number of liberals whose hearts ooze with blood for the Sywian refugees or the Pawesteinians who could give less then a fuck about those inbred fundie 'tards in backwoods Appalachia. That said I’d say places like much of Africa are rather more in need of then then a well-functioning First World democracy like Israel. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-people-in-israel-starving/751005.md?page=2)