Lifestyle/Community
Putting their money where their mouths are
In 1995, a feeling among the five founders of the Rambam Charitable Trust – Stan Orelowitz, Leon Raff, Harry Kaplan, Leonard Gordon and Alan Menachemson – that there was need for a gemach of this kind, led to each of them donating R500 per month and founding an essential service in the Jewish community to help people who have fallen on hard times.
SUZANNE BELLING
PHOTOGRAPH BY SUZANNE BELLING
Pictured: Arnold Connack, director of the Rambam Charitable Trust, consults with Debbie Miller, who has been working for the Trust since its inception.
“The Trust today has a capital base approaching R14 million,’” says executive director Arnold Connack. “It is available as a loan to pay credit cards, school fees, medical aids, to purchase motor cars and to take the burden off people paying interest on a normal bank loan.”
These interest free loans are repayable over 24 months, with one surety for each R30 000 – or part thereof – loaned. Those who sign surety must be South Africans resident in the country.
How does the process work? Forms initially must be filled out and when the paper work is completed, an interview is set up for the applicant with two of the trustees.
“We provide a holistic service,” says Connack, a former lawyer. “We help institutions, shuls and schools, especially at the end of the year when they are cash-strapped. The institutional loans must be paid back within six months.” The Trust has lent out over R100 million since its inception, he added.
Connack stresses that obtaining a loan from the Rambam Trust is not difficult, nor embarrassing. “We consult, on a necessary basis with a rabbi on halachah, as the Trust operates on a halachic basis.” Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein is the Trust’s chief patron.
The non-profit Trust today has 27 trustees in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Fundraising is done through golf days and during face-to-face meetings.
Rambam is an acronym for Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon, who was born in Cordova, Spain and, as with his fellow Jews was forced to flee to exile in France. From there he immigrated to Egypt where his knowledge of national sciences were brought the attention of Sultan Saldin, who appointed him the official court physician.
Tthe Rambam outlined eight degrees of charity:
- The highest is to aid someone in need, by offering him a gift or loan, by entering into partnership with him or by providing work in order to ensure self-support.
- The giver knows the recipient but the recipient does not know the giver.
- The giver puts the money into the hands of the poor without being asked.
- The giver puts money into the hands of the poor after being asked.
- He gives less than he should, but does so cheerfully.
- Giving grudgingly.
Phone Rambam at (011) 485-5401 (mornings), e-mail: rambam@mweb.co.za
ashebo
October 7, 2015 at 5:39 pm
‘am ashebo an ethiopian israeli ..imigrated in south africa for 12 years , am runing small wholesaler in franschhoek , suplies grosary stock for 43 small shopes , ( provide them stock from R4000-5000 for each shope for 7 days to pay credit ) on this sumer i have a plan of upgrading the limite of the amount from R5000-7500 and add 26 more shopes in he near by location and do my busness well but i have abit short of capital …pls i need ur help , my business is registerd and i bank with absa , i have a good tread reference from makro , jumbo,twizza and ather companys ..pls help’
Zanielle
February 29, 2016 at 12:36 pm
‘Good Day, I am a single mom that have gotten myself in trouble with loan sharks as I could not get a loan anywhere else. Is there someone that could donate me a small amount so that I can get out of their claws please. I will never ask for anything again. I just want to have enough money so that I can buy food and have petrol in my car. Thank you ‘
David Zieve
November 19, 2016 at 6:20 pm
‘To whom it may concern: Please could somebody contatc me rather urgently regarding a loan. I received a loan approximately 7 years ago which was paid back in full and which saved my life.
\nUnfortunately I am in a similar position and would like to discuss the possibility of another loan to assist me.I look forward to your response.
\nRegards, Dave Zieve – 082 056 8465′
Ricardo Carelse
January 6, 2017 at 11:44 am
‘I am in need of help as my family is going through financial difficulties,I tried applying by the bank’s but the could not help me,I want tito pay all my debt and want to buy my own house for my 2 boys and wife,I am currently renting but need a boost with s loan to pay all my debt,thanx for your assistance’
willison
August 1, 2017 at 12:40 pm
‘i have a testimony to share last mounth i was unenable to pay for my house rent and am in need of 10000us dollar i saw this man call willison mario a loan lender advert true internet so i have to apply for a loan from and am happy low i got my loan with no collateral contact him now on willisonmarioloanfirm@gmail.com for your loan thanks to mr mario.
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