Hundreds of families are relying on support from synagogues and communal charities to meet the cost of keeping Pesach, a JC investigation has found.
The United Synagogue is providing food aid to 600 families. Many more are being assisted by organisations such as Norwood and Gift.
Michelle Ciffer, manager of Hershel Weiss, a Manchester centre serving the Charedi community, said she had been “inundated” with requests for help.
“This time of year is especially hard for families, even ones who do not normally struggle, because the cost of making Pesach is so high.”
Single mother-of-four Danielle could not afford to make Pesach without the support of Jewish charities.
“When you are on your own with four young children, benefits are not enough,” the North Londoner told the JC.
She relies on the backing of Gift, which distributes food parcels to families in financial difficulty.
Without it, “I would not be able to maintain all the things I need. Living a traditional Jewish life is really important to me.”
Danielle’s family is one of more than 200 supported by Gift at Pesach — and one of the charity’s clients assisted all year round with weekly deliveries of items such as challah, grape juice, fruit and vegetables.
In addition to Pesach provisions, Danielle also receives some cash to spend as she desires, ensuring she and her children can celebrate the festival “like any normal family. The food means I have what I need and the money gives me a sense of purpose and normality.
“While everyone else is doing their shopping and talking about it, I am not living in fear of how I am going to do it.
“It means my children don’t have to associate the festival with a negative time, or a time when I am depressed or worried because I can’t provide what we need.”
In her financial predicament, it was all to easy to “fall into a state of despair or depression. I’m doing everything I can to improve my situation but it is hard.
“Having no money makes you completely shut down. You panic and struggle to function. I know what it is like to feel fear each time I check my account.”
Danielle was introduced to Gift by a friend a couple of years ago.
At the time, “I was crying my eyes out because I couldn’t cope. I’d escaped an abusive relationship; I had no job; my children’s father provided no support.”
Gift’s assistance extends to regular contact. “They call, they text, they check on you. I never feel alone and that is really important.”
Recipients of its Pesach assistance are often referred by other communal charities such as Jewish Women’s Aid, Jewish Care and Norwood.
Stories like Danielle’s are not unusual. Norwood reports that 10 per cent of the 260 families it supports need help to afford to make Pesach.
Chief executive Dr Beverley Jacobson said Norwood had “a community grant to meet these needs which is funded mostly through third parties.
“We have an assessment process in place and, where there is need, our family support worker will either help families apply, or alternatively apply on the family’s behalf to organisations like Jews’ Temporary Shelter or the Jewish Children’s Holiday Fund.”
At the Hershel Weiss children and family centre, supporting Manchester’s Charedi population, manager Michelle Ciffer said she had been “inundated” with requests for help at Pesach.
“This time of year is especially hard for families, even ones who do not normally struggle, because the cost of making Pesach is so high.
“It is a new term and you’re buying children new shoes for schools and other things they need. Then the cost of making Pesach pushes families over the edge.
“I have people telling me they can’t afford food — and that’s on top of saying their children don’t have a bed to sleep in.”
The centre has been assisting more than 80 families around the festival thanks to a private donation of “thousands of pounds".
“We used the money to give food vouchers for local stores. Large families struggle the most. They are making big meals for lots of people and looking after young children. We also have a fund to help with the extra cleaning needed.”
Recipients have been referred to the centre by rabbis, schools and local services.
The United Synagogue is helping around 600 families to meet Pesach costs.
Rakusen’s has donated boxes of matzah that shuls pass on to members in need.
“We also offer a communal Seder subsidy,” the US spokesperson added. “Where families cannot afford the cost of the communal Seder, we will help the shul with those costs.”
Although aid was targeted primarily at US-affiliated families, “we do also support some non-US people where there is a great level of need”.
Emily’s mother was among recipients of the US aid, being given food vouchers and matzah by her shul.
“My mum was amazed. It was a very kind gesture,” Emily said.
For another beneficiary, the help meant the family could enjoy “a proper kosher Pesach”.
Although acknowledging the extra cost involved in observing the festival, the US said: “It’s worth remembering that many of the products available in the shops — Pesach cakes, Coca-Cola and cinnamon balls — are all optional luxuries and all the mitzvot of Pesach can be fulfilled without them.”
The senior rabbi of Golders Green Synagogue, Harvey Belovski, also cautioned against the purchase of expensive and “unnecessary” Pesach items.
“There are things that require supervision and there are things that do not,” he said.
For example, there was no need to buy “kosher for Pesach washing-up liquid”, which is sold in many kosher stores.
“There is also this idea that you have to buy everything from scratch and start over. I have kosher tea and sugar left from last year — we put it away and get it out again.
“People are also being encouraged to buy pre-packaged produce that you don’t need to celebrate Pesach.
“Chicken and vegetables cost the same all year round.”
Rabbi Belovski distributes around £3,000 worth of support to families from his congregation around Pesach.
He considered helping those in financial difficulty a “prime responsibility” of a community rabbi.
“I would say ten per cent of my community needs help. People are proud and they don’t like to ask but it is important for them to know that help is out there.”
His sentiments on “unnecessary” purchases were echoed by Laura Janner-Klausner, Reform Judaism’s senior rabbi.
In her view, there was an “exploitative” element to supervision. “Since when did someone put leaven in washing-up liquid? It doesn’t have to be this way.”
Rabbi Janner-Klausner wants greater transparency on which products genuinely require extra supervision.
However, the United Synagogue claimed that supervision and labelling did not necessarily increase prices.
“KLBD Pesach supervision is provided at cost as a service to the community — and where large quantities are produced, the cost per item is negligible.”
The US cited transport logistics as a reason for higher prices.
“If a kosher corner shop requires a special delivery of a supervised batch from the factory instead of the usual drop from the local depot, the additional transport costs for this special arrangement can be substantial.”
Bakeries also incurred additional costs through having to “close down for a few days, bringing in extra staff to clean, koshering the equipment and investing in special Pesach utensils”.
Rabbi David Mason of Muswell Hill Synagogue said Pesach put a financial strain on families who would otherwise manage.
“There will be a few people in my community who we will help with vouchers for food,” he told the JC.
“But even as a rabbi, I feel it [the price of Pesach goods] when I do my shopping.
“It is hard because there is an increase in costs for all families. Everything has a ‘K’ on it and what I find particularly difficult is the stuff is in the shops three weeks before Pesach, so people are often paying more for things before they need to.”
When it came to items such as cakes and sweets, “it starts to be about what you have and not about the meaning behind the festival”.
Aaron Goldstein, senior rabbi at Northwood and Pinner Liberal Synagogue, said it was important to support the less fortunate over the festival.
“If there is one Jewish homeless person, then we have failed. We believe it is a given that we look after each other but it is also important to look after those [of all religions] around us.”
His congregation works with a local secular primary school to help families who rely on free school meals. “During the holidays, those are children who will struggle to eat so we put on afternoon activities for them and make sure they get a meal.”
