Rodef Shalom

Empty Bowls Dinner

The annual Empty Bowls Dinner is a meager meal of soup and bread, a fundraiser for Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank and Just Harvest, and a Pittsburgh favorite family activity. The event is held every March at Rodef Shalom Congregation.

The most notable feature of Empty Bowls is choosing which “Empty Bowl” to take home from table after table of hand-made ceramic bowls of every description. These bowls, donated by local amateur and professional potters, are reminders of the “empty bowls” many of our neighbors facing hunger endure. Waiting in the “soup line” at the event reminds us that even today, people still stand in line for food assistance.

Restaurants and caterers donate bread and several hundred gallons of soup, from exotic selections like Thai Corn Chowder and Sherry Bisque to perennial favorites Vegetarian Vegetable and Chicken Noodle. Empty Bowls is also known for its family-friendly atmosphere with children’s activities, plus a bake sale, live entertainment, silent auction of fine ceramic art, local personality soup-servers, and soup-to-go.

One feature introduced a few years ago, the celebrity-autographed bowl auction, continues. Watch for details on this year's offerings.

Click here to watch a KDKA feature about this exciting event!

Click here for ticket information.