Giving surplus a second life, Jerusalem’s food rescuers are turning leftovers into a lifeline

The Jerusalem Food Rescuers initiative, founded in 2019 by Daniella Seltzer, aims to combat food waste and insecurity in Jerusalem. Initially focusing on salvaging bruised or imperfect fruits and vegetables from the Givat Shaul Wholesale Market, the organization has expanded its efforts to include surplus food from approximately 2,200 food-based businesses across the city, including restaurants, supermarkets, and bakeries. These rescued items are then distributed to community centers, providing healthy food to Jerusalemites at no cost or low prices.

“This points to the need for a citywide mechanism that can connect surplus food sources with community demand in real time,”

The initiative estimates that a fully operational system could yield around 7,000 tons of food annually. Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion signed the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact in June, committing the city to global efforts to create more efficient food systems. Seltzer emphasizes the need for municipal collaboration and investment in "coordination, business participation, logistics, digital tools, and community distribution capacity" to fully realize the plan's potential. To date, the nonprofit has salvaged 1,300 tons of food, supporting numerous local families and educating nearly 10,000 students on food sustainability.