Interest-free loans up to $20,000
Get help to handle challenging financial needs or cover upcoming expenses. A general needs loan could help you move into a new apartment, buy a car, travel to visit a sick relative, go to Israel on an organized program, or cover other costs that don’t fall into another loan category.
If you’re unsure what loan type to apply for, select the one that seems like the best fit. A loan officer will work with you to figure out what type of loan will be most helpful.
Hebrew Free Loan’s Model
Hebrew Free Loan is based on principles found in the Torah, in which we are commanded not to derive personal benefit — i.e. not to charge interest — when we lend money to assist those in need. Click here to watch a short video about Parashat Mishpatim, the Torah section that contains these teachings.
We’ve proven the success of our model with a repayment rate of over 99.5%. That’s the beauty of interest-free lending. As loans are repaid, funds are recycled to make new loans. Many loan recipients also participate in our Full Circle Club, in which former borrowers pay forward the help they received by donating to Hebrew Free Loan to help the next person in need.
Featured Stories
Mark Kaplan
Mark had been homeless for several years when we first met him, and he needed help as he transitioned into supportive shared housing…
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Irina Gorelik
Irina Gorelik, who immigrated from Ukraine as a young woman, is a single mother raising three young boys on her earnings as an in-home…
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Leandro Margulis
When Leandro Margulis stopped at a vista point in the Marin Headlands so his friends from abroad could admire the view of the Golden…
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Gabriana Marks & Jude Marks
When Gabriana Marks and her mother Jude Marks came to Hebrew Free Loan for help last summer, they were at a low point. Over…
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Kayla Dolberg
Kayla Dolberg is only 23, but she has some advice for those who may be going through a rough time. She encourages people not…
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Raphael Falk
Like many young people, it took Raphael Falk a while to find his place in the world. He grew up in Berkeley and Oakland,…
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Shelley Kaplan
The Jewish community has always been a big part of Shelley Kaplan’s life, from her childhood in Los Angeles to the twenty years she…
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Paul and Carol Kameny
Like a lot of people who approached us for help during the Covid-19 pandemic, Paul Kameny and his wife Carol hadn’t thought of themselves…
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Margarita Begun
Until Covid-19 hit, things were going well for Margarita Begun. A single mother of two children in high school, Margarita has been supporting herself…
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Ariel Goldstein
Ariel Goldstein and his wife, Lisa Hepps, are passionate about travel. They’ve both built careers organizing and leading educational tours that build cross-cultural connections…
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David and Prune Poznic
When you meet David Poznic (also known as David Poznanter), you know immediately that you’re in the company of a real mensch, someone who…
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Ayal and Leah Amzel
Just a year ago, Ayal and Leah Amzel were celebrating the 20th anniversary of Yali’s Café. They opened the restaurant across the street from…
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Melissa Zohar
Melissa and her husband separated when she was pregnant with their second child, and since then she’s been raising her daughters (now four and…
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Bezawit Abebe
Bezawit Abebe was born in Ethiopia and made aliyah to Israel in her 20s, becoming an Israeli citizen and dedicating herself to advocating for…
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Katrina and Pascual
Meet Katrina and Pascual, who faced a significant drop in income when the coronavirus hit. Katrina is a clinical social worker who had recently…
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A Thrice-Fulfilled Dream: Tamara’s Story
Not many people have lived through what Tamara has. After surviving the Holocaust and losing many family members, she suffered through years of religious…
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Hebrew Free Loan Aids in Reuniting a Family: Alex & Lola’s Story
The immigration process is complex. The immigration process is complex. One misstep along the way – one misfiled paper – and you’re back to…
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