16 | MAY 13 • 2021
OUR COMMUNITY
ON THE COVER
dents up to $7,500 a year for full-
time undergraduate study or $10,000
a year for graduate work, with 10
years post-graduation to repay. The
program grew out of the Jewish
Educational Loan Service, started
in the 1940s. It was renamed after
the William Davidson Foundation
made $12 million worth of grants.
Applications decreased somewhat
in 2020 because of COVID, but the
program serves between 180 and
280 students every year.
• The Marvin I. Danto Small
Business Loan Program started in
2012 with a bequest from Danto’s
estate and a grant from the Marvin
and Betty Danto Family Foundation.
While HFL had been making busi-
ness loans since its inception, the
Danto funds enabled it to increase
loans to as much as $100,000 for
businesses that are at least 51 per-
cent Jewish-owned. Applicants must
make a pitch to members of the
HFL
’s Danto loan committee, who
are experienced entrepreneurs. In
its first nine years, the program has
made 135 loans.
• The Michigan Jewish
Organization Loan Program, start-
ed in 2018 in partnership with the
Ravitz Foundation, provides up to
$100,000 for Michigan synagogues
and other organizations. Ten loans,
totaling $900,000, have been made
to date, including to congrega-
tions and other organizations in
Ann Arbor, Flint, Marquette and
Petoskey, most for building purchase
or repair.
Although Hebrew Free Loan has
always been modest about tooting
its own horn, Contorer hopes to
increase its visibility so that more
Michigan Jews can take advantage of
its services.
“I know there are Jewish people
out there who need help who don’t
know about us,
” he said. “If this
reaches one more person, it’s a win
for HFL.
”
Temple Beth S holom:
Relocating in
Marquette
Temple Beth Sholom, a small Reform
congregation in Michigan’s Upper
Peninsula, had the opportunity a
few years ago to buy a building in
Marquette, closer to its members.
Cary Gottlieb, the congregation’s
treasurer, and his wife, Carol, had
borrowed funds from Hebrew Free
Loan in 1985 to buy their first house,
so he was receptive when fellow
Beth Sholom board member Aaron
Scholnik suggested they look into a
loan for the temple.
The two men approached Hebrew
Free Loan Executive Director David
Contorer, and within what seemed
like just a few weeks, they had their
loan for $100,000. The temple used
it to turn the building into a house
of worship. Ironically, it had been
constructed in 1925 as a Christian
Science church, but was later used
as an event venue and then an apart-
ment complex so it needed extensive
renovation.
The congregation repaid the loan
within 17 months, said Gottlieb, using
donations from a capital campaign
and proceeds from the sale of their
previous building in Ishpeming where
they had been since 1952.
“The loan enabled us to move into
the building quickly and easily,” said
Gottlieb, a pathologist at St. Francis
Hospital in Escanaba. “Temple mem-
bership has grown, and participation
is up, even with COVID,” he said.
Gottlieb praised Hebrew Free Loan
for making the process so easy, say-
ing he never felt pressure or the need
to grovel. “Dave Contorer actually
made it a point to see the temple
when he was visitng the UP. He’s a
mensch and good person.”
Members of Temple
Beth Sholom outside
their new building.
continued from page 15
One of HFL’s
earlier offices.
Loans
Donations
16 | MAY 13 • 2021