“If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, do
not act toward them as a creditor; exact no interest from them. If you take your neighbor’s garment in
pledge, you must return it to him before the sun sets; it is his only clothing,
the sole covering for his skin. In what
else shall he sleep? Therefore, if he
cries out to Me, I will pay heed, for I am compassionate” (Exodus 22:24-26).
We’ve all had tough times:
when the check hasn’t cleared, when the deal falls apart, when the roof leaks
unexpectedly. We’re tempted to reach for
the credit card, but that just puts us on a downward spiral, because the
interest and fees compound and turn an expensive buy into something that haunts
us for years. Who do you call when
there’s a wolf at the door? Jewish Free
Loan.
Jewish Free Loan is a non-profit organization that serves
the Valley. (They exist in other cities
as well.) In the best tradition of our
people protecting each other, Jewish Free Loan provides access to money without
interest. This enables people to pay
cash up front to cover their needs while allowing them to pay off the debt over
time, according to a schedule that makes sense for the borrower’s budget.
I am honored to serve on the Board of Directors of the
Greater Phoenix Jewish Free Loan. I’ve
heard of the powerful impact it can have on people’s lives, making the
impossible possible, lightening the load, reducing stress. There are loans for all sorts of things,
including utilities, tuition, medical expenses, business development, and
funeral costs, among many other needs.
Money in the system recirculates, doing good over and over.
To learn more about this holy work, see Jewish Free Loan.
No comments:
Post a Comment