International Association of Hebrew Free Loans
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The International Association of Hebrew Free Loans (IAHFL) is an umbrella organization for Hebrew Free Loan societies, organizations that offer interest-free loans to Jews. There are members around the world, with most in North America. Each member organization has its own rules regarding such things as who may borrow, the maximum loan amount, and the repayment process. However, all offer loans without interest.
Hebrew Free Loan societies (such a society is also known as a Gemach) are based on the biblical injunction that Jews may not charge interest to other Jews in need, found in Exodus 22:25: "If you lend money to My people, to the poor among you, do not act towards them as a creditor; exact no interest from them."
The IAHFL provides a forum for independent free loan societies to interact, share information, and helps establish new Hebrew Free Loans. There is an annual conference hosted by a member organization.
The IAHFL produces a newsletter several times a year.
Member organizations[]
Members of the IAHFL include:
United States[]
- Akron, OH -- Free Loan Association (Akron, OH)
- Atlanta, GA -- Jewish Educational Loan Fund, Inc. (Atlanta)
- Atlanta, GA -- Jewish Interest Free Loan of Atlanta, Inc.
- Baltimore, MD --
- Boca Raton, FL -- Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service (Boca Raton)
- Boston, MA -- Jewish Family & Children Service
- Buffalo, NY --
- Cincinnati, OH --
- Cleveland, OH -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of Northeast Ohio
- Dallas, TX --
- Denver, CO --
- Detroit, MI --
- Fort Worth, TX --
- Grand Rapids, MI --
- Houston, TX -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of Greater Houston
- Los Angeles, CA --
- Miami, FL --
- Minneapolis, MN --
- Milwaukee, WI -- Milwaukee Jewish Free Loan Association
- New Haven, CT -- Hebrew Burial & Free Loan Association of New Haven
- New Jersey (northern) --
- New York, NY -- Hebrew Free Loan Society of New York
- New Orleans, LA --
- Paterson, NJ --
- Philadelphia, PA -- Hebrew Free Loan Society of Greater Philadelphia
- Phoenix, AZ --
- Pittsburgh, PA --
- Providence, RI --
- Portland, OR -- Jewish Free Loan of Greater Portland
- Salt Lake City, UT --
- St. Louis, MO --
- San Antonio, TX --
- San Diego, CA --
- San Francisco, CA --
- Sarasota, FL -- Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation
- Seattle, WA --
- Springfield, MA --
- Tucson, AZ --
- Washington, DC --
- West Palm Beach, FL -- HFL of Palm Beach County
Canada[]
- Calgary, AB --
- Hamilton, ON --
- Montreal, PQ --
- Toronto, ON --
- Vancouver, BC --
- Winnipeg, MB --
Outside North America[]
- Buenos Aires, Argentina -- ACCEDER Hebrew Free Loan
- Jerusalem, Israel --
- Jerusalem, Israel --
- Melbourne, Australia --
Annual conference[]
The IAHFL holds a conference each year (normally in the fall) to provide an opportunity for networking and education. The conference is always hosted by a local Hebrew Free Loan, though the program is generally planned by the International.
Past conferences[]
October, 2009
October, 2008
October, 2007
September, 2006
2005
October, 2004 Hebrew Free Loan Society of Greater Philadelphia
Future conferences[]
2010
References[]
- A Credit to Their Community: Jewish Loan Societies in the United States 1880-1945, by Shelly Tanenbaum, Wayne State University Press, 1993. [1]
- Micro-Lending: A Nonprofit Response to Economic Crisis, by Eliezer David Jaffe [2]
External links[]
- Jewish charities
- Microfinance organizations