Night 5: Vulnerable Populations

December 2020

This Hanukkah we are taking a moment to shine a light on the resilience of our community throughout this past year. Tonight, we light the 5th candle of the menorah and  read how our community brought light and hope to our senior population.

 

Hebrew Free Loan Association of San Antonio (HFLA-SA), founded in 1924, established a new emergency loan program this year to provide financial relief through no-interest loans to members of our local Jewish community who are suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. These loans feature relaxed cosigner requirements and expedited funding. Thanks to generous community support, HFLA-SA is ready to assist during financial challenges … always interest-free.  

Learn more, apply for a loan or get involved at:  hfla-sa.org

 

Especially this year, while we are all experiencing the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, the JCC continued to provide a summer day camp experience to children with special needs, a service that has become a lifeline for families with differently abled children. In addition, the JCC was proud to have three differently abled summer camp staff members as part of the team who helped deliver a summer camp experience to all J-campers. 

 

Ohr Lanu assists patients of all ages, particularly those in the at-risk category, in navigating our complicated health care system. Some of the services provided include physician recommendations, assistance with insurance, coordination of care with providers and hospitals, help with Long Term Care policies and home care services, and patient advocacy. COVID-19 has changed the way that we work, but it has not affected the work that we do,” said Executive Director Margaret Gofman Klein. “Our patients are our focus, and their healthcare needs are our priority. 

Contact Margaret Gofman-Klein, Executive Director, for assistance: 210.973.7172 | Ohrlanu.org 

 

This year, Temple Beth-El hosted its annual Yom Kippur Hunger Project for the San Antonio Food Bank both online and in person. The need for food has nearly doubled during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 120,000 Texans relying on the San Antonio Food Bank for help. Together as a community, Temple Beth-El donated 980 pounds of food during their High Holy Day Caravan and raised $6,956 online, which equates to over 41,000 meals.