More than 5,000 bowls served as Mitzvah Day marks 20 years with global ‘Big Soup Serve’

More than 5,000 portions of soup were delivered to vulnerable people across the UK and beyond this week, as Mitzvah Day marked its 20th anniversary with a record-breaking “Big Soup Serve” spanning more than 100 locations worldwide.

The annual Jewish-led day of social action drew participation from political leaders, faith figures and thousands of volunteers — including the Prime Minister, who hosted a special soup-making event at No.10 Downing Street.

Sir Keir Starmer welcomed Mitzvah Day founder Laura Marks CBE and a group of young professionals of multiple faiths to cook a vegetable soup, which was later donated to homelessness charity The Passage. “I’m proud to have supported Mitzvah Day since it started 20 years ago,” he said. “It is a wonderful example of communities uniting around the common good.”

Across London, synagogues and community hubs opened their kitchens. At Alyth Synagogue, Progressive Judaism Co-Lead Rabbi Josh Levy, Barnet Mayor Rabbi Danny Rich and Rabbi Hannah Kingston cooked alongside Bishop of Edmonton Rt Revd Dr Jeremiah Anderson, Muslim leader Ahmereen Reza OBE and a cross-communal group of volunteers for the synagogue’s refugee drop-in and homelessness projects.

“Mitzvah Day is a hugely important part of our annual Jewish calendar,” Rabbi Levy said. “It gives Jews the opportunity to step into social justice work and helps build the connections that allow us to stand side by side in trying to make the world a better place.”

Project ImpACT’s Soup-a-thon at JW3 saw more than 100 teenagers from 30 schools prepare two varieties of soup using surplus ingredients from the Felix Project, joined by the Mayors of Camden and Brent and guided by chef Adam Nathan.

Founder Chayli Fehler said: “This weekend highlighted the power of youth coming together to volunteer and support people of all faiths.”

The Chief Rabbi joined the United Synagogue’s Chesed Asylum Seeker Drop-in at Hendon United, praising the milestone year. “On the 20th anniversary of Mitzvah Day, I was deeply inspired to witness the wonderful work carried out by the United Synagogue Chesed team at the Asylum Seeker Drop-In centre at Hendon United Synagogue,” Rabbi Mirvis said.

Elsewhere, South Hampstead Synagogue collected soup for St Mary’s Church’s winter shelter, while Ralli Hall in Brighton hosted chicken-soup lunches and entertainment for older community members. Mitzvah Day cooks were also held in Sydney, Krakow and Cape Town.

In Manchester, Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation held a particularly meaningful collection drive weeks after the terrorist attack targeting the shul. Marc Levy, CEO of the Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester & Region, said: “It is poignant that a mere few weeks after the terrorist attack targeting this synagogue, members hosted a Mitzvah Day event collecting supplies for families outside of the Jewish community who are vulnerable and in need.”

Across the wider programme, more than 1,000 Mitzvah Day initiatives took place globally, involving an estimated 40,000 volunteers. Rabbi Charley Baginsky led a project at Progressive Judaism’s Northern Chagigah. At the same time, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan packed kosher recipe kits with Jewish, Muslim and Christian City Hall staff, joined by Imam Asim Hafiz OBE and Bishop Mike Royal.

“At a time when divisions are rising across the world, coming together in the spirit of community to celebrate our shared values has never been more important,” the Mayor said.

Reflecting on two decades of Mitzvah Day, Laura Marks CBE said this year had seen the community “raise the bar”, deepen partnerships and widen participation. “I’m endlessly astonished by what our community can do and how much kindness there is in even such a difficult world,” she added.