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Friendly Loan Office
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92
FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 1990
Hebrew Free Loan board members Mickey Behrmann, Henry Leopole and
Myron Schiffman discuss an application.
money, says Khomutin, was
the sense of trust she found in
the HFL staff. "The banks
wouldn't give us money back
then because we had no credit
rating." Hebrew Free Loan,
however, "asked me some
questions, got to know me,"
then issued the funds. "I think
Russians have a good reptita-
tion there," she adds with a
laugh.
Many of the Soviet ap-
plicants, as well as native-
born recipients, have co-
signing sponsors to help
facilitate their loans. The fact
that HFL administers so
much money to Soviet Jews
has in the past been a point of
contention with some in the
Detroit area who, Ruth Mar-
cus says, are laboring under a
misconception. "We don't deny
loans to anyone who quali-
fies," she says. "The funds for
general purpose and im-
migrant resettlement come
from completely different
sources."
In fact, the general purpose
funds have accumulated in
donations over the past 95
years into about $400,000 now
circulating in the community.
"People who have gotten loans
in the past have become
donors," says Marcus.
"Sometimes people come in
with a donation saying, 'My
grandfather got his start
through Hebrew Free Loan. "
On occasion, a recipient will
fail to repay a loan during the
agreed-upon time. If that is
the case, the HFL works with
him for a time extension. In
the rarest of cases, "perhaps
1.5 percent," a recipient
defaults completely. In such
cases the co-signers often take
over the responsibilities of
repayment.
The task of determining
who qualifies for a loan falls
to the HFL board, working out
of the United Hebrew Schools
building in Southfield. After
forms are filled out and co-
signers are accepted, the ap-
plicant comes into the HFL of-
fices for an interview with two
board members. The decision
to grant a loan is often made
right on the spot. After that it
takes about a week to issue
the check, which the applicant
picks up at the HFL offices. In
emergencies, checks are pro-
cessed more quickly.
On a recent Sunday morn-
ing, the HFL offices displayed
a business-as-usual tumult
as applicants and board
members separated into inter-
view rooms; Sherwin A.
(Mickey) Behrmann, the HFL
president, signed a stack of
checks that would send 20
Soviet engineering students to
courses at Wayne State
University.
"This is the only board I
know of that actually does the
work," as opposed to just
establishing policy, he said.
"We try to accommodate peo-
ple's needs as much as possi-
ble. And we think our per-
sonal methods are more
dignified for people than just
standing in line waiting for a
handout."
The HFUs sense of proprie-
ty extends to respecting their
clients' privacy. "Our underly-
ing principle is being sensitive
to people's circumstances,"
says Marcus. "It's difficult to
come in for help, to explain
how you got into your fix."
Behrmann agrees. He's
listened to some "six-Kleenex
interviews" that make him
and the board members
realize that misfortune and
need can strike anyone at any
time. Working at HFL has
also given him a sense of
perspective about the Jewish
community and deflates a few
stereotypes at the same time.
"A lot of people think all
Jewish people are wealthy.
But there are folks here who
have gone through such terri-
ble times. It makes you ap-
preciate what you have."
As Behrmann and Marcus
see it, the HFL is one place
everyone can turn to. Their
only wish is that more people
knew about it. ❑
For more informaiton about
Hebrew Free Loan, call Ruth
Marcus, 356-5292, Monday
through Thursday.