International Association of Hebrew Free Loans
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 -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of Baltimore
- Boca Raton, FL -- Ruth Rales Jewish Family Service (Boca Raton)
- Boston, MA -- Jewish Family & Children Service
- Buffalo, NY -- Hebrew Benevolent Loan Association (Buffalo)
- Cincinnati, OH -- Jewish Federation of Cincinnati
- Cleveland, OH -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of Northeast Ohio
- Dallas, TX -- Dallas Hebrew Free Loan Association
- Denver, CO -- Jewish Interest Free Loan of Colorado
- Detroit, MI -- Hebrew Free Loan Detroit
- Fort Worth, TX -- Tarrant County Hebrew Free Loan Association
- Grand Rapids, MI -- Jewish Federation of Grand Rapids
- Houston, TX -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of Greater Houston
- Los Angeles, CA -- Jewish Free Loan Association (Los Angeles)
- Miami, FL -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of South Florida
- Minneapolis, MN -- Jewish Free Loan Program (Minneapolis)
- Milwaukee, WI -- Milwaukee Jewish Free Loan Association
- New Haven, CT -- Hebrew Burial & Free Loan Association of New Haven
- New Jersey (northern) -- Hebrew Free Loan of New Jersey
- New York, NY -- Hebrew Free Loan Society of New York
- New Orleans, LA -- Jewish Family Service (New Orleans)
- Paterson, NJ -- Paterson Hebrew Free Loan Association
- Philadelphia, PA -- Hebrew Free Loan Society of Greater Philadelphia
- Phoenix, AZ -- Jewish Free Loan of Greater Phoenix
- Pittsburgh, PA -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of Pittsburgh
- Providence, RI -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of Providence
- Portland, OR -- Jewish Free Loan of Greater Portland
- Salt Lake City, UT -- Joseph & Evelyn Rosenblatt Free Loan Fund
- St. Louis, MO -- Jewish Loan Association (St. Louis)
- San Antonio, TX -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of San Antonio
- San Diego, CA -- Hebrew Free Loan of San Diego
- San Francisco, CA -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of San Francisco
- Sarasota, FL -- Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Federation
- Seattle, WA -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of Washington State
- Springfield, MA -- Hebrew Free Loan Assn. of Greater Springfield
- Tucson, AZ -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of Tucson
- Washington, DC -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of Greater Washington
- West Palm Beach, FL -- HFL of Palm Beach County
Canada
- Calgary, AB -- The Calgary Jewish Family Loan Association
- Hamilton, ON -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of Hamilton
- Montreal, PQ -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of Montreal
- Toronto, ON -- Toronto Jewish Free Loan Cassa
- Vancouver, BC -- Hebrew Free Loan Association of Vancouver
- Winnipeg, MB -- The Asper Helping Hand Initiative
Outside North America
- Buenos Aires, Argentina -- ACCEDER Hebrew Free Loan
- Jerusalem, Israel -- Israel Free Loan Association
- Jerusalem, Israel -- International Free Loan Association for Ukraine Loan Fund
- Melbourne, Australia -- Jewish Mutual Loan Company PTY, Ltd.
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 Hebrew Free Loan Detroit
October, 2008 Hebrew Free Loan Association of Cleveland
October, 2007 Hebrew Free Loan Association of Vancouver
September, 2006 Hebrew Free Loan Association of South Florida
2005 Hebrew Free Loan Association of San Francisco
October, 2004 Hebrew Free Loan Society of Greater Philadelphia
Future conferences
2010 Dallas Hebrew Free Loan Association
References
- A Credit to Their Community: Jewish Loan Societies in the United States 1880-1945, by Shelly Tanenbaum, Wayne State University Press, 1993.
- Micro-Lending: A Nonprofit Response to Economic Crisis, by Eliezer David Jaffe