Colel Chabad Pantry Packers: Turning Kindness Into Food for Israel’s Most Vulnerable

By Rabbi Efraim Duchman, Director of Development, Colel Chabad

Founded in 1788 by the Alter Rebbe, Colel Chabad is Israel's oldest continuously operating charity. For more than two centuries, it has quietly and consistently served vulnerable families, Holocaust survivors, the elderly, widows, and orphans — providing food, dignity, and essential support to those who need it.

One of Colel Chabad’s most meaningful hands-on programs is Pantry Packers.

Pantry Packers gives volunteers the opportunity to become part of the food distribution process in a personal, tangible way. Volunteers pack basic food staples that are later delivered to families and seniors throughout Israel. The work is simple, but its impact is profound.

A bag of groceries may look ordinary on a packing table. But for the person who receives it, it can mean dinner on the table and the comfort of knowing that someone cares. As one recipient shared, “We’re living hand to mouth… we’re very grateful for this free service.”

Colel Chabad’s mission has become even more urgent during the war in Israel. As families have been displaced, elderly residents have been forced into shelters, and communities have faced fear and uncertainty, Colel Chabad has expanded its emergency response to meet the growing need.

The Mayberg Foundation has been a meaningful partner in this emergency work, reflecting a shared responsibility to stand with Israel’s most vulnerable. Longtime supporter and volunteer John A.I. Grossman, MD—father of Aggie Grossman, MyZuzah's associate director of engagement and the Mayberg Foundation's grants manager—originally introduced the Foundation to their vital work.

Reflecting on Colel Chabad's enduring legacy, Dr. Grossman shares:

"Colel Chabad is unique because of its continuous, uninterrupted mission since 1788 to alleviate hunger and suffering among the Jewish people. Now more than ever, this work is of the utmost importance, and it stands as a true testament to the organization and its leadership."

We look forward to packing food together with your team, where you can experience firsthand the impact this work has on families and seniors across Israel.

One package at a time, Pantry Packers turns kindness into action.