The grants total $96,500.

Daniel D. Levenson, chair of the Mazon board of directors, stressed that Mazon's principal mandate remains confronting hunger in the United States.

"Despite the fact that we have an extremely strong economy, hunger and poverty affect more children per capita in the U.S. than in any other industrialized country," he said.

"However, our Jewish tradition teaches us to `help the stranger,' meaning we must reach beyond our own borders when tragic situations compel us to do so."

The recipients of grants to feed the hungry include Alameda County Community Food Bank in Oakland with $10,000, Interfaith Coalition on Immigrant Rights in San Francisco with $8,000 and Grupo de la Comida in San Francisco with $7,500.

Mazon's fall 1998 grants totaled more than $1.2 million. Of that, 19 nonprofit groups in California received $167,500, including the three in the Bay Area.

In its 13-year history, Mazon has awarded grants totaling more than $16 million to emergency feeding programs, food banks, anti-hunger advocacy groups, multiservice organizations, and international relief and development projects.

It raises fund principally by asking American Jews to contribute 3 percent of the cost of lifecycle celebrations, such as weddings and b'nai mitzvah. Funds also come from annual Passover and High Holy Days appeals and from thousands of commemorative contributions.

For information, call Mazon in Los Angeles at (310) 442-0020.