Evan Lachman was 22 and a senior at UC Santa Barbara when he approached Hebrew Free Loan about an interest-free business loan to help grow his small business, a solo entrepreneurship called GoodDay Puzzles. The year before, the Covid lockdown interrupted his junior...
Ellen and Jake’s experience is a perfect example of how our loans can have a profound impact on a family facing unforeseen challenges. The couple is raising three children — one in middle school, one in high school, and one in college. Ellen is an educator in...
The Jewish Federation Bay Area (the “Federation”) and Hebrew Free Loan of San Francisco (“HFL”) received the Synergy for Change Award at the 2025 Donor Advised Funds (DAF) Giving Summit in Washington DC in September. The DAF Giving Summit is the premier national...
Yoav Ben-Shushan was born in Haifa and raised on a kibbutz in northern Israel, where he grew up surrounded by the rhythms of communal life, hard work, and a deep connection to the land. He once imagined a life devoted to agriculture, but destiny had other plans....
OUR EVENT IS SOLD OUT. IF YOU’D LIKE TO BE PLACED ON OUR WAITING LIST, CONTACT JAMIE HYAMS AT JAMIE@HFLASF.ORG OR (628) 231-2911 Join our premier networking event for the Jewish business community! Fort...
Robin and Neal Novotny were in their 60s and caring for Robin’s 97-year-old mother when they turned to Hebrew Free Loan. Robin’s mother was a powerhouse in her time — Chief of Radiology at the University of Illinois Medical Center — who continued to work part-time...
Rabbi Jamie’s Corner August 2025 We’re happy to share these thoughts on current events or Jewish themes from Rabbi Jamie Hyams (our Development Director). Feel free to reach out to Jamie directly at...
Congratulations to the 2025 award winners! Hebrew Free Loan partnered with National Council of Jewish Women San Francisco Section (NCJW SF) to award four scholarships to Jewish women students who are studying or working in the area of social justice and who intend to...
Art Gilberg, Founding Broker & Owner of Equity Bridge Capital, didn’t set out to be a private lender. His family was in the department store business near Toledo, Ohio, where he grew up, so Art tried that first after college. He joined the executive training...
The application is now closed. CLICK HERE to learn about the 2025 award winners! Hebrew Free Loan is partnering with the National Council of Jewish Women San Francisco Section (NCJW SF) to offer four Tanette Goldberg Scholarships for Social Justice in the amount of...
