At this week’s inaugural luncheon of the Jewish Chamber of Commerce, sponsored by the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center, a question was asked of the attendees, and almost every hand went up. What was the question? How many are currently feeling the pinch of the economic climate in your business?
Predicting that this would be the case for many in our community, a motion was passed last year by the board of Jewish Free Loan to increase the maximum amount we would loan in our business development loan program, bringing the total to $20,000. In a recent front page article in the Arizona Republic by Betty Beard, she reports, “In September, the U.S. Census Bureau said Arizona had the nation’s second-worst poverty rate in 2009, behind Mississippi.
The article goes on to say that Arizona lost about one-tenth of its jobs during the recession; many of them construction and other blue collar jobs. We know that Arizona is a state where there are many sole owner businesses, and with the changes in the workforce, that segment of the workplace may grow. We hope that if you know someone who could use assistance with building their business, you will suggest they go online to www.jewishfreeloan.org to download an application.
Jewish Free Loan is here to assist our community, it’s individuals and families at their moment of need. This is how we help one another to build a vibrant sustainable community.
A 
year ago my landlord’s property was foreclosed on and I had to move on short notice so I rented what seemed to be a lovely apartment. It soon turned into a nightmare with flooding and then noisy neighbors moved in. Shortly after, I started experiencing health problems and wasn’t sleeping well at night. While I work two jobs, there was not enough income to cover the cost of a mover and a security deposit. After looking for five months, I was able to find a quiet place to rent and the landlord was willing to have me pay the security deposit over time. Now I i just had to raise the funds for the movers. It only took one phone call and assistance was on its way. There are not enough words to express my gratitude to the Jewish Free Loan and to the many individuals who open their hearts and give to such a worthy organization.
Stephanie
(Name of the borrower changed to protect the borrower’s privacy)
In our home growing up, whenever something occurred that we were thankful for, we would put money in a “pushke.” These tzedakah pushkes were also the centerpieces and favors at the our 60th Anniversary Gala last year. Now, everyone can have their own JFL pushke, creating their own family’s rituals around tzedakah.
This quote taken from the Mishpatim portion of the Book of Exodus (chapter 22, verse 24), has been the mantra of Jewish Free Loans dating from biblical days through the arrival of the Jews to America in 1654. Free loans meet Maimonides standard for the highest form of tzedakah, because they promote rehabilitation of the poor; allowing them to maintain both their self-respect and their independence, which helps to preserve their dignity.
Jewish communities in Europe established benevolent societies dedicated to loaning money to the poor without interest. When many of those family members immigrated to the United States they continued this noble goal of assisting poor, industrious workers to achieve self-sufficiency, the basis for success.
In 1654, Peter Stuyvesant, Governor General of then New Amsterdam – now New York – allowed 30 some Jews from Brazil to enter only on the condition that they not be a drain on the community. The Jews established what for that time was the equivalent to today’s Hebrew Free Loan; the first evidence in North America of the kinds of chevra that exist today. Today, many are called Jewish Free Loans, but others around the country are still referred to as Hebrew Free Loans.
With the coming of east European Jewish immigrants late in the 19th century, the problem of how to provide needed economic assistance without the stigma of charity became critical. Within three years, more than 800 people were served. Three features of this New York model of the Hebrew Free Loan show how values based on teachings of the torah shaped the institution.
The first of these features was that loans were made to any Jews regardless of their personal background. All Jews who could provide worthy guarantors were welcome to apply. Secondly, the society worked quickly getting the check written as soon as the guarantors were judged credit worthy. There were no intensive family background and character checks. Thirdly, remembering Maimonides laws of tzedakah, a premium was placed on making sure each transaction was confidential.
Thanks to these high standards, the Hebrew Free Loan Society of New York and its many imitators around the country achieved extraordinary success. In a 10-year old study it was maintained that one out of every 25 Jewish families in New York was at sometime or other a direct beneficiary of the Jewish Free Loan Society’s services. In its first 46 years of operation it made 617,000 loans. That translated into a total of $29.5 million lent out interest free – all with a default rate that was less than one half percent.
In the early part of the century, most loans were to pay bills, to get people employed, assist in business start-ups, get immigrants here and help them get established. Many of our grandparents and great grandparents were among those who were helped. In addition, free loans became increasingly important institutions for Jewish women. Often, these loans were the only forms of credit available to women who sought to go into business for themselves. In Toledo, Ohio in 1908, a woman became president of the Jewish Free Loan there – she was Pauline Steinem, the grandmother of the noted Jewish feminist, Gloria Steinem.
As we learn in Maimonides ladder of tzedakah, a loan is emphasized as preferable to giving money as it states, “greater is the one who lends that he who gives and greater still is he who lends and with the loan helps the individual in need to help himself.” Our tradition recognized that an outright gift, no matter how well intended, still might evoke a feeling of inferiority by the receiver. A loan, however, is a transaction of equals.
Dear Friends,
In times of despair and distress, the community is here to respond. In this most difficult economic time, we are turning to you — and you are listening. It is as if you are sitting in our offices, hearing the stories and woes of such unbelievable circumstances that continue to impact the day to day struggles of members of our Jewish community.
As never before, the commitment of the Jewish Free Loan to fulfill our mission is being tested on a daily basis. We are not only providing business loans to enterprising entrepreneurs, adoption or in-vitro loans to help Jewish individuals and couples become “family” and college education loans to provide the tools and knowledge that will enable another generation to create a better world, we are making sure that the most basic of human needs and dignity are maintained.
Today’s economic trauma has hit members of the Jewish community in untold numbers. We are contacted daily to maintain shelter, to keep the heat on during the winter and the air conditioning running in the other months; we have been asked to make sure the water is not shut off, we are providing car payments, insurance payments, and gas funds so people can continue to get to their jobs, and we are putting food on the table. We are making sure that medical and dental care continues to be available so that health care is maintained.
You – our donors — have helped make this possible and we appreciate your ongoing support. You — our donors — have helped us provide the loans which are helping many Jewish families in the community who have no other place to turn. They come in holding their heads low, ashamed and embarrassed to even have to ask.
They leave with an interest free loan which provides them the dignity to go out the door with their heads held high.
But we are concerned as we do not see an immediate end to the economic downturn. We do not see an immediate end to the increasing numbers of Jewish families and individuals who are coming through our doors or calling us in panic and fear.
For almost sixty years the Jewish Free Loan has been in the Valley to respond to those walking through our doors. For almost sixty years the Jewish Free Loan has been the place where the Jewish community has come to receive an interest free loan. And for almost sixty years the Jewish Free Loan has been the only Jewish organization which has provided interest free loans so that members of the Jewish community can improve their lives and achieve greater stability with regard to their long term welfare. We encourage and facilitate Jewish continuity. And…we will continue to be here!
The Jewish Community came together in May to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of our organization with over 350 in attendance. SelmaFiel, Anniversary chair and former Executive Director, set an attendance goal of 200-300. Her comment at the event evaluation was “I set the bar too low!” “We appreciated Selma’s vision and excellent execution, and the board and staff of JFL sincerely appreciated the community support,” said Ron Blau, President of the JFL. As the Phoenix Jewish News printed in an editorial following the celebration, “It’s a sign that although 60 years isn’t so long ago, it’s an eternity in Phoenix years.”
Accepting the Founder’s Award in memory of Sam Block and Joseph Rabinowitz, was Myra Block Boime, Block’s daughter. An especially poignant moment was when Mrs. Block invited five young grandchildren representingthe Block’s fourth generation to the stage. Ron Blau, JFL President, presented the President’s Award in absentia to Mathis Becker. Barry Becker, Mathis’s brother, accepted the award on his behalf.
Nostalgic historical events were addressed by honorees, Harry Adler and Helen Handler. Both leaders inspired those in attendance with their sincerity, humility and heartfelt passion for Jewish Free Loan, as they reminisced about their years of leadership and involvement.
TML Arts presented a revue of outstanding songs across the six decades, as well as personalizing songs to the honorees. The Phoenix Jewish News editorial quoted above stated that the Jewish Free Loan celebrated its 60th anniversary “in style.” “We hope those attending felt this way.
We honored those who provided JFL a stable foundation that we can continue to build upon as we plan for our future,” concluded Tina Sheinbein, Executive Director.
“Climb aboard Social Media Locomotive” was the recent title of an article that Harvey Mackay, entrepreneur and author, wrote in his recent column in the Arizona Republic.
He passes on some interesting information related to the latest technologies and Internet solutions, including:
- 96% of Generation Y have joined a social network
- The fastest growing segment of Facebook is women ages 55-65
- 1.5 million pieces of content are shared on Facebook daily
- One out of eight couples married in the United States last year met via social media
- The youngest techies, born after 1995, consider email passé.
As a businessman, he indicates that he doesn’t know how he functioned before LinkedIn; and indicated that 80% of companies are using LinkedIn as their primary tool to find employees.
So welcome to the Jewish Free Loan blog. Given all the information that we have been examining, including the MacKay statistics, we enthusiastically embrace our new technology and hope you will visit our blog frequently. We will strive to keep you abreast of topics that intersect with the work of our agency.
But more importantly, we would love your interaction and comments. We hope that by visiting and friending our Facebook fan page, and subscribing or reading our blog, the word will get out that we have interest-free loans to extend to members of our community for debt consolidation, medical and dental needs, funerals, adoption and fertility, jewish continuity, education, women and children in crisis and micro loans for small businesses. We want members of the community to think of us when they require assistance, as well as when they can provide assistance to others in need.
Hop aboard as we travel on our 2011 social media locomotive!
