In the News

A reflection from Noah P. Barilaro

Parashat Mishpatim teaches us that holiness is not only found in revelation, but in
responsibility. After Sinai, the Torah immediately turns to laws that shape a
compassionate society—how we lend, how we release, and how we care for those who
are struggling. At the heart of these laws is a revolutionary idea: financial assistance
must restore dignity and hope, never fear or dependence.

The Torah states:
“If you lend money to My people, to the poor person who is with you, do not act
toward them as a creditor; do not place interest upon them.”
Exodus 22:25

Lending, according to the Torah, is not meant to feel like a dark cloud hovering
overhead. It is not meant to suffocate or shame. It is meant to be a bridge—a window of
opportunity and renewal. The word neshech, interest, literally means a bite. The Torah
warns us not to allow financial help to become a venomous cycle that traps someone in
debt they can never escape.

This is precisely where Jewish Free Loan of Greater Phoenix steps in. Jewish Free
Loan removes the “bite” from lending and replaces it with compassion, trust, and
partnership. Through interest-free loans, it allows individuals and families to address
medical emergencies, pay rent or a mortgage, pursue education, or start a
business—without the fear of being financially strangled for years to come.

Mishpatim continues:
“If you take your neighbor’s garment as security, you must return it to them by
sunset.”
Exodus 22:25

Even when help is structured responsibly, the Torah insists that human dignity comes
first. A person must never be left exposed, cold, or stripped of their basic needs. Jewish
Free Loan lives this value by ensuring that assistance never comes at the cost of a
person’s humanity.

The Torah then expands this ethic beyond loans into the rhythm of the land itself:
“In the seventh year you shall release it and abandon it; the poor of your people
shall eat, and what they leave over, the beasts of the field shall eat. So shall you
do to your vineyard and your olive trees.”
Exodus 23:11

This law of Shemitah teaches us that true generosity requires trust. We are
commanded to let go—to release control—so that those who are struggling may sustain
themselves with dignity. The olive tree, often a symbol of peace and endurance,
becomes an olive branch of hope. The Torah reminds us that our resources are not
meant to be hoarded, but shared—especially with those bound by hardship and debt.

Jewish Free Loan embodies this Shemitah spirit in modern form. It releases people from
financial paralysis and offers them a chance to stand again on solid ground. Its time,
dedication, and heart are given freely, creating not just relief, but renewal.

Every dollar given to Jewish Free Loan becomes a ripple effect. It moves from one
family to the next, from one generation to another. Each loan repaid allows another to
be given. Every contribution becomes a bracha—a blessing of hope, stability, and love
woven into the fabric of our community.

We give because we remember what it means to be bound. Having once been slaves in
Egypt, we vowed never to enslave one another—especially financially. Mishpatim
teaches us that justice and kindness are inseparable, and that community is built
through responsibility to one another.

We are strongest when we lift each other. Rooted like trees in mitzvot, nourished by
chesed, and sustained by unity, we affirm that you cannot spell community without
unity. Through interest-free lending and unconditional care, we transform Torah into
action—and ensure that dignity, compassion, and hope remain accessible to all.

ABOUT NOAH: My name is Noah P. Barilaro. I am originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and moved to Scottsdale, Arizona about a year and a half ago. I currently serve as a religious school teacher at Congregation Beth Israel and as a preschool teacher at BASIS Ed. I am a recent convert to Judaism and am deeply involved in Jewish communal life. I participate in ATID AZ, the Minkoff Center for Jewish Genetics, and Congregation Beth Israel’s choir, and I am also involved with Jewish Free Loan as a committee member and writer. My goal is to spread chesed and fill buckets wherever I am planted.