A public notice has been issued by prominent Rabbanim in the Chicago Jewish community, cautioning members against a growing issue of individuals exploiting communal chesed by soliciting large loans or credit card use that are not repaid. The warning, pinned with pushpins in a local Shul, emphasizes the importance of consulting a Rav before proceeding with significant financial requests.

This issue is not limited to Chicago. It is happening in New York, Lakewood, and frum communities everywhere. We are all one family, but that doesn’t mean we should lend without thinking. Chazal gave us guidelines before extending loans for a very good reason, we must use them.