National Union MK Uri Ariel along with Science and Technology Minister Rabbi Prof. Daniel Hershkowitz, Zevulun Orlev and Uri Orbach, all from the Jewish Home, got together on Monday to pack Passover food parcels for the needy. This tradition is called Kimcha dePascha (“Pesach flour” in Aramaic).

Kimcha dePascha is conducted by several organizations in Israel, and the specific organization which the MKs helped is Orot Hachesed, which was co-founded by former MK Rabbi Hanan Porat, who died of cancer in October.

The MKs visited kibbutz Be’erot Yitzhak in central Israel, where the food parcels are being packed by dozens of volunteers. Over 4,000 such parcels will be prepared and will be delivered in the coming days to destinations all over the country so that each family will be able to celebrate the Passover holiday.

As Rabbi Prof. Hershkowitz pointed out, the preparations for Passover include taking out all the chametz – leavened products – from the home and bringing in the food that is kosher for Passover. However, as he put it, “Unfortunately, there are homes in which there is nothing to do. The families have no chametz to take out and have nothing to bring in, so it is a big mitzvah to bring the products to those homes.”

“I really appreciate all those who brought all the products, all the wonderful kids who are helping to package them, and we (the MKs) are privileged to help out a little bit here today,” added Hershkowitz.