A Grateful Gathering

December 5, 2022

Sharon and Arturo Fux opened their beautiful home Sunday, November 20, for the Hebrew Free Loan Association of San Antonio’s “Grateful Gathering,” and we are so grateful for their gracious hosting! The Gathering was a ‘soft kickoff” of the HFLA-SA’s Centennial Celebration, culminating in December 2024 to honor a hundred years of changing lives and building community.

HFLA-SA was established in 1924 by 75 San Antonians to care for their community, as commanded by Torah:

“If you lend money to My people, even to the poor among you, do not act toward them as a creditor; you shall not charge them interest.” – Exodus 22:24 (Parasha Mishpatim).

We were reminded of a story found in the Talmud of Honi, the Circle Maker who lived in the 1st century BCE.

“One day, Honi was walking down the road and came across a man planting a carob tree. Honi asked the man, “How long will it be until this tree bears fruit?” The man replied, “Seventy years.” Honi then asked the man, “But will you live another 70 years to eat its fruit?” The man replied, “Probably not. But my entire life, I have eaten from the carob trees that my father and grandfather planted. Just as they planted trees for me, I am planting so that my children and grandchildren will eat the fruit from these trees.”

We take pride that the Carob trees planted here almost 100 years ago continue to grow and flourish because of people like you.