Why are we sending hametz to Japan because of the earthquake, when due to a Haredi Rabbi, G-d caused the earthquake beacuse of the Japan arrest of two Haredi students due to drug smuggling? Is this a good joke?

This is nothing short of absurd. Do you really think that the Japanese need your poxy stale bread which you throw out? It's about time you showed some respect for other cultures and downgraded your superior attitude instead of throwing them your trash.

What an idiotic thing to say!! This is a wonderful thing to do! The IDF has set up the only field hospital in the earthquake stricken area! ZAKA is there helping people! The local Chabad rabbi is handing out free food! And you're talking shtuyot!! Shame on you!!

How ignorant can you be? Nobody is sending stale bread, but rather unopened products which are not suitable for consumption during passover. Additionally, there are many products considered Chametz by Ashkenazi Jews which Sepharadic jews eat which would also be included in this shipment. The idea of sending food to a disaster area by individuals is a great idea. The only one with a superior attitude is you, and the only trash is the drivel spewing out of your mouth. You, sir, are a disgrace to the human race.

It's not stale bread, its bread that they can't use, don't twist other peoples words around. Also since when do they not show respect to other countries? Israel has been forced to bow down to so many countries because of the International Community. Also Israel "throwing them trash", do you know that Israel was the first to set up a medical tent in Japan and in Haiti there are still 2 nurses left there helping. Did you know that they airlift victims to Hospitals in Israel where they get the best quality treatment and respect. Next Time, Please don't take something good and attempt to turn it into something bad.

You refer to Jews and Israelis in the second person as opposed to "we". Which is the better presumption, that you're not really in Israel or not really Jewish, as is the case for many in Russian Le Zion.

a curse from eating leavened bread during the Passover YHWH commands the people of the earth who love Him to observe. Send what is unclean to the heathen. How helpful. Why not send them some pig, too, so they will be unclean and YHWH will not protect them for sure.

shame on you, if u practice halacha you would know that a non jew is forbiden to practice judaism, the laws of a non jew is 7 noahide laws look it up on google. get your facts straight , G-d loves all of us

What a great idea, instead of selling it to an Arab who in turn returns it after the holiday let others use it who need it. And #1 there are many friends of Israel living in Japan, you should be worried about the earthquake that will happen here soon for people who speak like you do.

# 4 - Thank you for your spouting of venom. How charming. When I mentioned stale bread I was speaking metaphorically - the point is that were it not Pessach and ergo the eating of bread becomes "forbidden" then the shipment wouldn't have taken place at all. That signifies an attitude which I have a problem with. By all means send food to Japan and whatever else they need - but send fresh or frozen food and do it for the correct reasons. This has absolutely nothing to do with Passover and shouldn't be connected. # 5 - Of course I do realize that the medical help has been set up. I just objected to the spirit of the news item. See my comment to # 4 above. # 6 - Very observant of you. Well, I'm only a mere 30 years in Israel so maybe that's not long enough to say "we". I also notice that you are not here..........

Japanese people don't eat much leavened wheat products, they eat rice which is not hametz.

This action reeks of arrogance. The Japanese will not want such rubbish food at least four days old from Israel. Some group is trying a little too hard to force a mitzvah to match a situation. This mitzvah of selling chametz to the goyim will not exist in the mature Messianic Era. Prayers for the Japanese people who are still going through a very tough time.

Did you take 6th grade Earth Science? Perhaps you should go to a library and look up 'plate tectonics.' You might learn something.

@ #11: They already do!

Where is the contact for this? Their Facebook page has nothing about this activity and no contact number. How will this organization get donations if we don't have a way to contact it?

Mike, You totally miss the point, although your clarification does shed a different light. I think taking advantage of the tradition of getting rid of the Chametz for a good cause is a win-win situation. Just one more tool for getting the aid to those who need it most, and may tap into those who would not otherwise donate, or get an additional donation from those who already have.

To Mike at Rishon Le Tzion and Rivka The chometz does not relate to loaves or rolls of bread - it relates to all products which contain leaven - or has the potential to become leaven - ie noodles, pasta, crackers etc - many of these items have a long shelf life - so they may be sending items that can last quite well until end of 2012 - what is the disgrace in this. If the owners decided to dispose of this by trashing it and not selling it, or giving it away, good food that could give nourishment and warmth and inspiration from the act of giving would go waste. Please do not be so negative - there is blessing in any act of kindness and giving even if you do not see it. People in Japan, who have lost their homes, money etc etc are likely to be very grateful that someone thinks about them and would not look a gift-horse in the mouth.

Just to add to #16 point- as humans we are sometimes forgetful and ignore the needs of others. Yours right, people should have the desire to give beautiful fresh produce every day of the week, but still so many Israelis still live under the poverty line, children go to school hungry right here in our own country. How do we fix this problem? By finding solutions people can do. So you can't spend the money right now to feed all of the poor with fresh food? Give away closer packaged items you need to get rid of anyway and kill two birds with one stone. If you say everyone should just give over fresh food all the time out of their own volition then you can say no fundraising should ever be done, no dinner fundraisers or other such programs should be done cause people SHOULD just give out of their own will. But this is reality, this is people and people have to be encouraged sometimes to do things they want to do anyway. You are very naive is what I think and see the world in black and white- tap into reality.

Charity is important. We should donate to groups which feed them and bring in fresh food.

# 15, I also came across this article while looking for a way to donate. Shame on YNet for giving us no contact information. To those of you who think we are sending our leftovers/garbage to Japan, shame on you. We are looking for an opportunity to do two mitzvas instead of one. Would you rather we throw out perfectly good food instead of helping people who have lost everything? Because it sounds like that's what Mike and Adam are saying. Rivkah, non-Jews have no obligation to get rid of or abstain from eating chametz on Pesach. The My Israel movement should be commended and people should to research before they comment.

In the chaos of a natural disaster site, fresh food is NOT wanted. Distribution can be a problem (beyond the fact that a flight to Japan is already long,) and "fresh" food will be stale before it gets to the people who need it. The hametz that we get rid of -- sealed, packaged foods with a shelf-life (which is why they were sitting in people's homes to begin with,) is exactly WHAT is desired (together with bottled water) in this kind of situation. HOWEVER, it should be noted that with the exception of the pasta, most of our foods will be unfamiliar to the Japanese. (I'm an Israel who's worked in Tokyo - I know this personally.) This may be good, as it will give them a lesson in cultural diversity. But it also means that many people will have a hard time understanding the aid we send - or what to do with it! Boxes with directions only in Hebrew, for foods that your average Japanese has never seen, much less cooked and eaten, before, will actually not be so helpful. Please, everyone, THINK IT THROUGH before voicing your gut opinion.

To Mike Carmel: I have plenty of Chametz in unopened boxes and cans which is very suitable for eating and not stale. I am sure others do as well. Sending it someplace that is needed is a mitzvah.

Japan is sending Caesium 137 and Iodine 131 to Israel at the surface level, at 2500 meters and 5000 meters. Is anybody concerned about this in Israel?