MAZON and nearly 100 Jewish clergy and leaders across New York sent a letter to Senator Chuck Schumer to reject a Farm Bill that weakens our nutrition safety net.
SNAP is one of the federal government’s most effective tools for reducing hunger, promoting economic stability, and preserving dignity for food insecure Americans. Despite its efficacy, it was gutted in President Trump’s budget and tax law last summer (the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” commonly referred to as OBBBA).
Since the law’s passage, over 150,000 New Yorkers, over 5 percent of New York’s SNAP participants, have lost food assistance, and we expect that even more households will lose benefits. Leader Schumer must ensure that this legislation addresses the needs of food insecure Americans and New Yorkers.
We are grateful that Senator Schumer has expressed support for SNAP and concern for those struggling with food insecurity. And we need to make sure this remains a top priority for him.
Read the full letter below and here. If you or someone you know would still like to sign, visit here.
Dear Leader Schumer,
On behalf of the undersigned Jewish clergy and community leaders across New York, we urge you to use your unique leadership role to prioritize policies that will end hunger and specifically repair the damage that was done to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in last summer’s partisan budget and tax law.
In Leviticus, we are commanded to leave the corners of our fields and the gleanings of our harvest for the poor and the stranger. This commandment is a clear expression of our collective responsibility for each other. It reminds us that we are not to judge those who are poor or assume to know the circumstances of their lives. Its wisdom respects the dignity of all by empowering individuals to decide what they need, not presuming to know what’s best for them.
Despite this commandment, over 47 million Americans and over 12 percent of New Yorkers struggle to put food on the table on a regular basis.
As you know well, SNAP is one of the federal government’s most effective tools for reducing hunger, promoting economic stability, and preserving dignity for food insecure Americans. Despite its efficacy, it was gutted in President Trump’s budget and tax law last summer. Since the law’s passage, over 150,000 New Yorkers (over 5 percent of our state’s participants) have lost their SNAP benefits.
We are deeply concerned about the House-passed Farm Bill, which does nothing to address America’s growing hunger crisis. We urge you to ensure that the Senate rejects this bill and rather seizes the critical opportunity for Congress to reduce food insecurity by restoring and strengthening SNAP.
The Jewish community knows all too well: charity alone cannot adequately address the needs of the millions of Americans struggling to put food on the table. Hunger in our state and across the country is a widespread, structural issue that the federal government must address. We are united in our belief that our government has a moral obligation to support the most vulnerable in our communities.
New York state officials, beneficiaries, and advocates alike are scrambling to institute the new changes to SNAP, including more expansive work reporting requirements and punitive time limits — not to mention bracing for the unprecedented state cost-shifts that are quickly approaching. We are gravely concerned about New York and other states being able to continue running SNAP without adequate federal investments.
The Talmud tells us, “When the community is immersed in suffering, a person may not say: I will
go to my home and eat and drink and peace be upon you, my soul” (Taanit 11a). This idea shapes our moral responsibility to help our neighbors and create a just society. It tells us that it’s not enough to acknowledge the suffering — we must actively work to end it. Given your leadership in the Senate and across the state, please do not allow any farm package to advance unless it adequately addresses the dire circumstances facing food insecure Americans and New Yorkers.
Thank you for your leadership and partnership.
L’Shalom,
Rabbi Renni Altman
Rabbi Guy Austrian
Nechama Bakst
Rabbi Michael D Baum
Rabbi Jeffrey Brown
Rabbi Joshua Cahan
Dr. Molly Carr
Rabbi Carie Carter
Rabbi Michael Churgel
Rabbi Jeffrey Clopper
Rabbi Rafi Cohen
Rabbi Matt Cutler
Leonard David
Rabbi Marc Disick
Rabbi Moshe Edelman
Rabbi Barat Ellman
Rabbi Susan Falk
Rabbi Jason Fenster
Leo Ferguson
Mrs Lynn Frank
Rabbi Micah Friedman
Ms. Liz Galst
Thomas Gardner
Rabbi Jonah Geffen
Lisa Gelber
Rabbi David Gelfand
Rabbi Geoffrey Goldberg
Rabbi Deborah Goldberg
Rabbi Rachel Goldenberg
Rabbi Michael Goldman
Rabbi Lauren Grabelle Herrmann
Rabbi Daniel Graber
Rabbi Adam Graubart
Rabbi Irving Yitz Greenberg
Rabbi Shai Held
Rabbi Marcelle Hohl
Rabbi David Holtz
Cantor Sanda Horowitz
Rabbi Margo Hughes-Robinson
Cantor Stefano Iacono
Rabbi Jill Jacobs
Rabbi Daniel Jezer
Rabbi Mark Kaiserman
Jeremy Kalmanofsky
Rabbi Tracy Kaplowitz
Rabbi Stephen Karol
Rabbi Juliana Karol
Neal Kaunfer
Rabbi Rena Kieval
Rabbi Michael Klayman
Rabbi Ashira Konigsburg
Rabbi Claudio Kupchik
Rabbi Talia Laster
Rebecca Leicht
Ms Shari Lewis-Veltre
Dr Jenny Libien
Rabbi Ellen Lippmann
Cantor Abbe Lyons
Rabbi Beverly W Magidson
Rabbi Marc Margolius
Rabbi Roly Matalon
Cantor Fredda Mendelson
Rabbi Miriam Midlarsky
Mrs. Leslie Mlawski
Rabbi Shuli Passow
Margo Paz
Rabbi Kevin Peters
Rabbi William Plevan
Mr. Rabbi Charles P Rabinowitz
Rabbi Rafi Rank
Daniel Ripps
Rabbi Kayley Romick
Cantor Chanin Rosen
Rabbi David Rosenn
Rabbi Jennie Rosenn
Rabbi Noa Rubin
Rabbi Charles Savenor
Eric Schulmiller
Rabbi Joel Schwab
Rabbi Mia Simring
Rabbi Jonathan Slater
Rabbi Rafi Spitzer
Rabbi Peter Stein
Rabbi Danny Stein
Rabbi Jeffrey Stombaugh
Rabbi Tziona Szajman
Stephen Teitel
Rabbi Jan Uhrbach
Rabbi Dr. Katja Vehlow
Jonathan Wagner
Dubbs Weinblatt
Susan Werbe
Rabbi David Wise
Rabbi Mara Young
Rabbi Sara Zacharia
Cantor Sarah Zemel