Interest-Free Emergency Loans for Faculty - Chesed Fund
Through the generosity of a Brandeis alumna, Yonina Weiss Law ‘79, and her family, the Chesed Fund was established to provide interest-free, emergency loans to Brandeis faculty for personal or family needs.
In the aftermath of Yonina’s untimely death, the fund was renamed in her memory as the Yonina C. Weiss Law ‘79 Family Endowed Faculty Chesed Fund. The Fund remains a permanent expression of Yonina’s deep gratitude for the skill and dedication of Brandeis faculty.
Eligibility: Any faculty member in the tenure structure or on a multi-year contract, whose appointment includes teaching responsibilities, is eligible to apply for a loan. Loans may only be used for emergency purposes. Emergencies must be recent, sudden and unexpected events. An example of what might constitute an emergency is water damage to your home necessitating temporary accommodation for you (and your family) while repairs take place. A loan to cover the cost of the temporary accommodation in this example would be an appropriate use of the Chesed Fund.
Amount and repayment period: Chesed Fund loans are available for up to $9,999. Repayment is made through automatic paycheck deductions via payroll. The repayment period must be 12 months or less.
Requests for loans should be emailed to provost@brandeis.edu. Please include the following:
1. an explanation of the reason for the loan;
2. the requested loan amount; and
3. the preferred repayment period (within the 12-month timeframe).
Approval: Once a loan is approved, the Provost's Office will provide a promissory note with the terms of the loan, and the Financial Affairs Office will then process the loan.
The goal is to accommodate all requests, subject to the amount available for lending through the Chesed Fund. While the Provost’s Office understands the seriousness of all requests, funds are limited, and the Office reserves the right/ability to deny and approve loans for various reasons (including determination of need as it falls under the Fund’s guidelines.)
Requests for loans are treated confidentially. Information will be shared only with those involved in processing the loans.
For questions, please email provost@brandeis.edu.