Some people need Tzedakah. Some just need a helping hand
Interest-Free Loans
Tzedakah, often defined as charity, is a gift we give to the needy. Then there is ‘Chesed’, an act of loving-kindness which often transcends tzedakah because it can empower the beneficiary to care for himself. Hence, the noble Jewish tradition of the “GeMaCH” (abbreviation for Gemillut Chasadim). A GeMaCH is an interest-free loan fund that empowers deserving people to improve their personal or professional situations without having to rely on predatory lending sources.
Colel Chabad maintains several GeMaCHs that provide interest-free loans for a variety of purposes; to enable someone to acquire the tools of his trade in order to achieve financial independence, or to help young newlyweds to furnish their first apartments, or to make the down payment possible for the home of an emissary family.
The funding for these GeMaCHs come from donations large and small; the moneys are then circulated in perpetuity as interest-free loans to deserving individuals and families. Your contribution to one of the Colel Chabad GeMaCHs is truly the gift that keeps on giving, as the repayment rate on these loans is exceptionally high and the list of people in need of such loans is exceptionally long.
Interest-Free Loans at a Glance:
- Widows and Orphans:
Free Loan Fund for Families in Distress is designed to help needy families cope with sudden emergencies. - Newlyweds:
Free Loan Fund for Young Couples enables poor newlyweds to furnish and equip their first home. - New Immigrants:
The Rohr Free Loan Fund helps emissaries to the FSU acquire homes. - Small Business:
Colel Chabad provides interest-free loans to hard-working individuals who need a small boost to bring their dream to life.