Aryeh Lurie: The Story Behind Yad Ezra V’Shulamit
Sep 21, 2025
Humble Beginnings
Aryeh was born and raised in Jerusalem in a home that knew hardship. Many mornings he set off to school with nothing but a paper bag instead of a backpack, and often without a sandwich for lunch. But while the cupboards were bare, his parents taught him a priceless lesson: no matter how little you have, there is always room to give to someone with less.
His mother, Shulamit, would often share her family’s modest hamin, a traditional Sephardic stew, with neighbors who had even less. From her, Aryeh learned that generosity is not born of abundance, but of compassion. His father, Ezra, carried with him a legacy of giving that stretched back generations. Aryeh recalls the story of his great-grandfather in Basra, Iraq. Though not wealthy, he opened his home to the needy, offering food, shelter, and jobs. That spirit of giving was woven into the family’s identity, surviving war, loss, and displacement.
“As a boy,” Aryeh has said, “I promised myself: When I grow up, I will feed the poor.” For him, it was not just a dream, but a vow.
From a Promise to a Mission
In 1988, Aryeh turned that vow into action. He founded Yad Ezra V’Shulamit, named after his parents, with the goal of ensuring that no child would go hungry the way he once did. What began with just fifty food baskets for struggling families in Jerusalem has since grown into the largest food distribution network of its kind in Israel.
Today, Yad Ezra V’Shulamit distributes over 12,000 food baskets every week. This year’s Project Rosh Hashanah expanded that effort, providing 62,000 food baskets and grocery vouchers so families can celebrate the holiday with dignity. Beyond food, the organization supports children and families with hot lunches, homework help, therapy, youth centers, winter coats, school supplies, and baby formula. Every initiative carries within it the echo of Aryeh’s own childhood, a story of hunger transformed into hope.
Shaping Tomorrow Together
Aryeh Lurie’s journey is proof that our early landscapes shape us, but our choices define us. From a boy who went to school without lunch, he became a man who ensures that tens of thousands of children are never left hungry.
His story is a reminder that compassion can be passed down through generations, that hardship can be transformed into purpose, and that one person’s promise can grow into a movement that touches countless lives.
When we look at the story of Yad Ezra V’Shulamit, we see more than food baskets, we see the power of resilience and generosity to reshape the world for the better.