Worldwide inflation has found its way into Jerusalem, hitting a ten-year high reports JNS.
According to the report, inflation in the Holy Land reached its highest rate in ten years in 2021. The rate currently stands at 2.8% and is inching closer to the Bank of Israel’s 3% projection.
The Central Bureau of Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) edged up by 0.3% in December, surpassing the projections of analysts, which were 0.1-0.2%.
The CPI rose by an overall 2.8% increase throughout 2021—within the central bank’s target range for inflation of 1%-3%. The Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) noted that significant price increases were felt in December in clothing (1.1%), home costs (0.8%), and furniture (0.7%).
Food items rose by 0.5% – a major cause for concern for soup kitchens like Meir Panim.
As Israel’s premier source of food for the poor, few non-profit organizations have noticed the ramifications of food inflation like Meir Panim does. That’s because the organization is reporting a significant increase in demand for food for Israel’s underprivileged who are now struggling to afford basic staples.
This includes close to a quarter of Israeli households that are currently on the verge of poverty. Making matters worse, over 27% (2.5 million people) of Israelis currently live in poverty, including 1.1 million kids.
It is for this reason that Meir Panim is stepping up its efforts to avail its signature Restaurant-Style Soup Kitchens for the recent influx of newly impoverished Israeli families.
But this also means that Meir Panim must now source the funds to support its growing hunger-preventing operations. It is for this reason that Meir Panim is making great efforts to collect enough money to ensure that no family in Israel suffers from food insecurity.
That’s why the organization is now turning outward to friends of Israel worldwide in an effort to help them in this important quest.
So, if you can help fight food insecurity in Israel, please consider donating any amount you can to Meir Panim.