An article published in The Forward on January 4, 2019 describes the plight of Federal employees in the midst of the partial federal shutdown. Currently more than 800,000 workers have gone without pay for almost three weeks. In response, four Hebrew Free Loan societies, including San Francisco, are offering interest-free emergency loans to furloughed workers who are having trouble making ends meet.
Executive director Cindy Rogoway describes how Hebrew Free Loan decided to set up its own emergency loan program for Jewish federal workers in Northern California. “We’re going to be really flexible,” Rogoway said. “We’re just trying to be proactive and get the word out to others who might be in need of help.”
