Shenat Hasheva – Year Seven Project
An organization distributing holy fruit for free to yeshivot and other educational institutions through the winter of 5783
We wanted to tell you about a wonderful project whose goal is to bring produce with kedushat shevi'it to all parts of the country.
The goal of Shenat Hasheva is to strengthen the otzar beit din system. This non-profit raised funds abroad and underwrites the fruits that grew through Rabbi Nissim Karelitz's otzar beit din. Shenat Hasheva refunds the farmers for their expenses and distributes holy fruit, free of charge, to 337 institutions (yeshivas, seminaries, girls' and boys' high schools) from the Religious Zionist and Haredi sectors. The fund absorbs all costs of transportation, distribution, etc. Shenat Hasheva has the approbations of rabbis across the religious spectrum (Religious Zionist and Haredi). In this way, approximately 80,000 students are afforded the opportunity to eat fruit with kedushat shevi'it; the vast majority of whom would otherwise never do so without this important project. Each institution commits to appoint a shemitah monitor from the student body to ensure that the fruit is not wasted or used disrespectfully and that edible leftovers are placed in a shemitah bin. Additionally, the schools commit to teach about the special status of shemitah fruit. This project is called Pri Yomi (daily fruit) since in every institution each student eats at least one fruit with kedushat shevi'it daily!
Furthermore, Shenat Hasheva has 42 distribution points were they sell fruits to the general public once a week at cost price, most in Haredi areas (Ashdod, Bene Berak, Beitar Illit, Beit Shemesh, Haifa, Jerusalem, Telz Stone, Rechasim, and more); they also have additional distribution points through the organization Mishnat Yosef. See their website here for distribution points and information.
The fruits are sold by the container, not by kg (peaches, plums and apricots at approx. NIS 9 per kg; bananas at approx. 5 NIS per kg, and nectarines are approx. .NIS 7 per kg). The prices are generally lower than those of other otzar beit din systems such as Otzar Ha'aretz, Rabbi Efrati, or Gush Etzion (nectarines, peaches, and red plums are about the same price at Otzar Ha'aretz).
Note that other otzar beit din systems (like Otzar Ha'aretz) provide additional fruits (cherries, grapes, pears, yellow plums) and shemitah solutions for vegetables as well (olei Mitzrayim, etc.).
Shenat Hasheva is also involved in other areas of bringing shemitah awareness to the public. We at Torah VeHa'aretz Institute are in close contact with Shenat Hasheva and collaborate on many projects.
Torah VeHa'aretz Institute is overjoyed that other organizations distribute holy produce to the public while strengthening Jewish farmers who observe shemitah in a mehudar way, despite all of the hardships this entails.
Fruit at Shenat Hasheva's distribution points including a note with instructions
