The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and the Jewish Community Relations Council are partnering with other local agencies to hold the 2016 Community Hunger Seder at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 14 at the LDS church, 15081 Clayton Road.  

The seder is part of a national Hunger Seder mobilization coordinated by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs JCPA and MAZON:  A Jewish Response to Hunger.  The mobilization focuses on addressing the root causes of poverty in the United States.  

The seder is planned by the church and the JCRC’s Michael and Barbara Newmark Institute for Human Relations and Bohm Social Justice Initiative, in collaboration with: the Community Against Poverty Hunger Task Force and partnering agencies Bread for the World, Empower Missouri, Jewish Family & Children’s Service, CROP Walk/Church World Service and Operation Food Search.  

Both the Jewish community and the Mormon community are committed to the principle that meeting the needs of the hungry is a religious imperative and a priority. This year, the seder will have a special focus on hunger among military families and military veterans.  

In recent years, the nation has witnessed an increase in the number of military families and veterans showing up at food pantries looking for help in feeding their families. Evidence shows widespread reliance on food pantries and distribution programs on and near military bases.   

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This is a problem that continues to worsen each year.  

At the seder, participants will read from a specially designed Passover hadaggah. Rabbi Josef A. Davidson of Congregation B’nai Amoona will officiate. The hadaggah will have special readings addressing the importance of working to make all people free from hunger, including military veterans and military families. The program will conclude with a call to action including specific steps that can be taken to reduce food insecurity in St. Louis and nationally. 

 Participants are requested to bring donations of canned food to benefit area food pantries.  This event is free and open to the entire community.    

RSVPs are required for the event and space is limited. RSVP to http://tinyurl.com/hungerseder.  For more information, contact Gail Wechsler at JCRC at [email protected] or 314-442-3894.