New York – Report: Jewish Community May Bear The Brunt Of Proposed Food Stamp Cuts

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    File photo by Blake GumprechtNew York – A potential $16 billion cut in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program or SNAP may severely impact some 47 million Americans who receive food stamps, particularly those in the Jewish community.

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    The Farm Bill, which funds SNAP, expired on September 30. Congress is in the process of debating a new version. The Senate is calling for a $4.5 billion reduction to SNAP over the course of 10 years, while the House is pushing for a $16 billion decrease over the same time period. If the House version passes, the number of SNAP recipients will be reduced by approximately 1.8 million people a year, according to figures provided by the Congressional Budget Office. It will also preclude states from extending SNAP to low-income people who do not fall within the federal income limits. Instead, the House has recommended giving block grants to states for SNAP, a measure which will likely reduce the number of enrollees.

    Modifications to the SNAP Program will have serious, adverse consequences on New York’s Jewish community. An estimated one in five Jewish households lives in poverty, especially in the Chassidic community, according to the 2011 UJA-Federation study. “If there are cuts, I really think people are going to feel it,” Huvi Schmerler, a nutrition program coordinator at the Borough Park-based nonprofit Nachas Health and Family Network, told The Forward (http://bit.ly/TrSfB0).

    In Borough Park alone, over a third of families with children collect SNAP benefits. Schmerler said her clients already struggle to survive on the benefits they get, and the cost of food in New York is generally higher than the national average. A study by the Institute for Children, Poverty and Homelessness revealed that a family of six receives $952 monthly in SNAP benefits, but the minimum monthly grocery bill is $1,181. A 2011 USDA study found that nationwide, 90% of SNAP benefits are exhausted by the third week of the month.

    The disparity has forced families to seek food from alternative resources like Masbia Soup Kitchen. “Obviously they need more than what they get, because they end up here when the food stamps are used up,” remarked Alexander Rapaport, Masbia’s executive director.

    Critics of the SNAP Program say it creates a culture of dependency on the government, and many believe that deliberately having large families “constitutes voluntary poverty.” Others see it as a human rights issue. “It’s a disgrace that in the United States of America that we can’t adequately feed our populace, which includes many people who have contributed to the workforce,” said one social justice activist. “Should we expect people who have fallen through the cracks to go hungry?” he asked.


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    40 Comments
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    PMOinFL
    PMOinFL
    11 years ago

    Good. Let these freeloaders get a JOB. Clean toilets if you have to. I don’t care, just earn an HONEST living and stop demanding the government forcibly take money away from me and my family and give it to yours because you are too lazy, too proud, or too stupid to do what is necessary for your family.

    PowerUp
    PowerUp
    11 years ago

    “Should we expect people who have fallen through the cracks to go hungry?” he asked.

    Well, without judging people and without generalizing, I don’t expect them to go hungry, but I do expect them to look for good prices and definitly eat within a budget, me without having SNAP a lot of times put back things on the shelf, they should act the same way, and learn to live within a budget for food.

    shredready
    shredready
    11 years ago

    Good you voted for Romney and wanted cuts to others now maybe you will think differently

    Liepa
    Liepa
    11 years ago

    If the US would reduce their billions and billions of annual gifts to countries that despise us, such as, Phlakistan, Egypt to name a few, they’d be able to feed their own populace and would certainly get a far bigger bang for the buck!

    11 years ago

    They should impose a maximum fixed monthly payment for all families rather than giving more to larger families and thereby reducing the available funds. Each family should decide how to use their share of the funding rather than giving some 2x or 3x more than others.

    DRE53
    DRE53
    11 years ago

    “In Borough Park alone, over a third of families with children collect SNAP benefits. Schmerler said her clients already struggle to survive on the benefits they get, and the cost of food in New York is generally higher than the national average”
    Well, the reason food in NY is so expensive is because there are so many FS receipients, who don’t pay that much attention to prices as do those who pay with hard earned money.
    I can tell you from experience, observing many customers in the supermarket. Those who bought the more expensive stuff were either the richies or the ones paying with food stamps.
    So hopefully prices will fall, or at least not rise once food stamps benefits are cut.

    TexasJew
    TexasJew
    11 years ago

    It will be tough for many people but cuts have to be made. I’m willing to pay more taxes if the gov’t stops wasting billions on different programs. Learn to live on your own.
    When you sit and learn till your in your 30’s you’ll never catch up with the real world.

    yunggrama
    yunggrama
    11 years ago

    One good thing can come out of all this is that less people will be obese……..

    11 years ago

    Since when are other taxpayers supposed to cover 100% of irresponsible people’s food bill. When at the same time all of the food prices are raising for all taxpayers like crazy.
    It’s the same irresponsible people who expect other taxpayers to pay 100% of their rent and marry off their 12+ kids. All of those programs are causing food prices and rents to go up for everyone else way above the inflation rate.

    fachmuret
    fachmuret
    11 years ago

    The real issue for the frum community are the high prices of kosher food. Doesn’t it feel like we have a Jewish tax? It’s also unfortunate that it’s cheaper to buy and eat unhealthy food then to buy healthy food. I recommend everyone watch a documentary called FOOD INC.

    volfe
    volfe
    11 years ago

    For all of my lovely jewish brothers that voted for the democrats and Obama because he is giving F-O-O-D S-T-A-M-P-S
    Here do u have it
    Not only that they are cutting
    They are starting with us……..
    #DemocratsAreTheBiggestLiars

    11 years ago

    Why in the world is this official way. After your wedding. 1st thing is kollel not even thinkin of a job. (Btw I am talking about those who are there for more then 2 years)even the wife isnt working or because she is a mother.
    then u collect food stamps.

    ayoyo
    ayoyo
    11 years ago

    perhaps if the govt. put the 800 billion that the big banks got, no strings attached, in the food stamp program it would help

    11 years ago

    We are becoming a welfare nation. It goes against our ehtics, teachings and prayers. We don’t give ourselves even a basic secular education, we sit in yeshiva for years, we have kids that we can’t afford to feed, we deny our kids a secular education and we do on the backs of others through the entitlements we receive and at the same time we curse the system that we benefit from.

    honestmodox
    honestmodox
    11 years ago

    If the Rambam says that it is bad to learn and be supported by charity (foodstamps included), why are there so many men who go to Kollel after they are married? If we worked on that, the government should have less of a problem with the cuts.

    Sarak
    Sarak
    11 years ago

    how about people start moving where its not as expensive to live like BP

    Miriam377
    Miriam377
    11 years ago

    Maybe more people will start working on the books and being honest. or wait, more people will start working for cash and being less honest, go figure

    AviBorders
    AviBorders
    11 years ago

    Another politically correct ad. I can see a new appeal coming to our shuls. Just after we finished paying for Rubashkin, Sea-Gate, now come the SNAP appeals…

    So:

    First of all, if you ever stop by Masbia during dinner time you will find out that it is mostly empty (you can easily peek through the doors).The few people sitting there are either shluchim, Russian or non-Jews. I am yet to see an average Boro Park family there. After all, been seen having dinner in Masbia cannot be good for the family image.

    Second of all, if so many people here are starving, why is it that Boro Park literally empties out during the summer as all the starvingh souls join the herds to go to their eight week bangalow vacations upstate?

    If people start earning their own keep and stop being such parasites there will be no need for these programs. Such programs breed a life of crime as many earn some income in cash in order to keep qualifying for these programs. They also breed laziness and dependancy. If more people earn honest living and lead honest life, no matter how “poor” they are, they will have more dignity and pride in their life and yedishkite.

    BLONDI
    BLONDI
    11 years ago

    can the usa get rid of the illegal mexican, chinese and arabs who milk the system and refuse to learn english? we employ them for cheaper wages and they take away jobs that us americans would do at a higher wage, because we pay the taxes…

    AYIDDELE
    AYIDDELE
    11 years ago

    What a shame to all your comments when those people with large familys come to your house to visit you dont even put sink water on the table for them to be able to drink…. Tracht far d’schwribesd if you dont know the taste of not having food to feed a family be a guest

    torahtrance
    torahtrance
    11 years ago

    as a canadian, who spent many years in dire poverty in Israel (have you gone on just rice cakes before?? what about 1 meal every 2 days??) now the canadian way is opposite of America. America is a dump. I see the comments posted here and I’m shocked. How many of you are Jews? Your job here is to be evedim l’Hashem and m’galel His name in this World. Hashem wants to see RACHAMIM for your fellow Jew. Here all I see is fat pathetic so called yidden complaining about having to give their money to help another Jew. While I run my own little business and barely get by, I plan on building it up as much as I am able and living comfortablely while giving the rest to help others. Hashem gave you more money then you need today in order to help others and gain yourself some mitzvos. When we drive to America from Canada I always say “feels like a third world country”. The selfish mentality in America is easily recognized by my canadian friends. You guys don’t really believe in tzadaka, except a few special yidden. Comon guys! Empty your banks for your fellow brother and show Hashem how much we care for each other. It may just be enough to bring Moshiach!!