Donor Stories
Helping Dreams Come True
We are grateful to those who contribute funds to the Hebrew Free Loan of San Diego. All of our donors are committed to our mission of aiding and empowering Jewish community members to help themselves through interest-free loans provided with dignity, respect, compassion and confidentiality. Share in the stories of these donors and be inspired to participate in developing a perpetual source of funding for future generations of San Diego Jewry to meet financial challenges, pursue their dreams, and become self-sufficient.
Meet Some Hebrew Free Loan of San Diego Donors
The Rubins
Our Journey with Hebrew Free Loan of San Diego
“We learned about HFLSD when we agreed to be a guarantor for a friend that was applying for an interest-free loan. With a combination of financial choices and a pandemic lay-off, our friend was in serious debt and looked to HFLSD for a hand-up to help him consolidate his debt and get back on his feet. By being a guarantor on his debt consolidation loan, we were able to help him on his path. Together with HFLSD, we could fulfill the mitzvah of helping a friend in need. Our friend’s loan was approved through an easy and confidential process, and he is on his way to creating his own financial freedom!
The experience of being an HFLSD guarantor inspired us to want to help others in the San Diego Jewish community that are also struggling financially. We wanted to be able to pay it forward even more and decided to join HFLSD as a donor. We knew that our donation would go directly to these individuals who are in need of a hand-up to strengthen their financial security.
There are so many ways to be involved in fulfilling the mission of HFLSD. There are so many ways to help. By getting involved in HFLSD through being a guarantor and/or donating, you, too, can make a positive and immediate impact in the San Diego Jewish community.“
The Chortek Weisman Family
Helping Dreams Come True
The Chortek Family, one of Hebrew Free Loan of San Diego’s esteemed donors, have an intimate and impactful history with the Jewish Free Loan association. Peter Chortek was born in 1924 in Madison, Wisconsin and was one of seven children. His family was impoverished and in need of help, so Peter’s father applied for a loan from Hebrew Free Loan. Susan Chortek Weisman, Peter’s daughter shares, “Dad told us how he would walk the coins each week to wherever it was to make their loan payments and what a huge impact that had on him.” She also added that the concept of needing to repay the loan gave them dignity as well as the financial help needed at that time.
Susan and her brother grew up middle class—they never lacked but also did not have excess funds. Still, Susan’s father did what he could to help others. He joined the loan committee; involvement with the Jewish Free Loan Association was particularly meaningful to him considering the deep connection he had to JFL from his youth.
In Susan’s words, “For these reasons, as well as my belief that Hebrew Free Loan of San Diego is a critical and much needed resource for our Jewish community, I am thrilled to be able to support this cause. “
The families involvement in Jewish Free Loans continues as Sammy Weisman, Susan’s son and Peter’s grandson, is now a member of Hebrew Free Loan of San Diego’s Outreach Committee. When signing the Jewish Community Foundation’s Book of Life, Peter and Elaine shared that “We have found that involvement and giving not only helps others but strengthens and enriches our family. By endowing continuing philanthropy, we can provide for both the future Jewish Communities and the next generations of our family.” The Chortek Weisman Family Foundation is carrying the torch that Peter started so many years ago. We are grateful to have their support in our mission to give the San Diego Jewish Community a “hand up,” as Peter Chortek received almost a century ago.
