Roee Hasson is an Israeli father of three whose home was completely flooded in Hurricane Harvey. The Hassons were away from Houston on a family trip during the hurricane, and they returned to find severe damage to their home. Their cars were also damaged beyond repair.

The Hassons had to muck out their home immediately. But because of Houston’s humidity, mold grew and spread to the point where they had to find a new place to live.  For the next few months, Roee, his wife, and their young children moved from the synagogue’s guesthouse to friends’ houses. Eventually, they found a new home to purchase.

But the expenses were daunting. Roee wasn’t able to work for many months after the hurricane. He still had to pay a mortgage, rent, and other expenses while it took their insurance six months to cover the damages and rebuilding costs.

He heard about Hebrew Free Loan Association of Houston from his synagogue, and quickly received a loan to help his family get by during this critical time. “The loan gave me a moment to breath, a bridge to salvation, and the support to rebuild my family’s life,” says Roee. “There’s no way we could have gotten through this disaster without the help of the community.”