They have bupkis.
While Joel Osteen and other American mega-churches Raised millions of dollars in federal coronavirus relief funding, a prominent Jewish group says it only received a shekel.
The Rabbinical Alliance of America says the Small Business Administration initially approved a $ 35,000 economic disaster loan to the organization, but then gave up the money.
“I just questioned. I wonder why. I wonder if there is any respect for rabbinical organizations, ”said Rabbi David Katz, director of the Alliance.
“And I wonder why an alliance of so many rabbis wouldn’t be the number one priority,” Katz told The Post. “As the director of an organization, people always call me for help and I always try to help, but this time I couldn’t help. “
Osteen’s loan for Lakewood Church was made as part of the Paycheck Protection Program, adopted by Congress in March as part of CARES ACT to provide pandemic assistance. A church spokesperson told the Houston Business Journal the money was used to help 368 employees.
Founded in 1942, the Brooklyn-based Rabbinical Alliance of America was originally intended to help immigrant rabbis adjust to American congregations. In the years that followed, the group evolved into an umbrella relief organization. They also run a rabbinical court to settle internal disputes with the community.
The group represents more than 900 rabbis across the United States and Canada. Katz said he had hoped to use the $ 35,000 to provide coronavirus relief to his members, many of whom were unable to pay the $ 125 in dues this year.
“Since it is an emergency, I would probably give as many rabbis as possible for Passover, or I would have tried to give it to as many families as possible, $ 300, $ 400 for the holidays to buy shoes. for kids or something like that. ” noted. “I wouldn’t use a dime for office expenses. “
The loan was rejected due to “unverifiable information,” the SBA said in a letter, which noted “during the loan underwriting process one or more items were considered which caused the SBA to question the validity of certain information you submitted as part of your application.
Katz said he didn’t know what the problem was and made repeated efforts to follow up – but was fired.
“They pushed me towards everyone. A woman on the phone told me ‘Rabbi Katz, I don’t know what happened,’ ”Katz said.
An SBA representative declined to comment.
The rabbi group contested the windfall for the Osteen church, Tweeter, “We, the Rabbinical Alliance of America, asked for $ 35,000 and we were turned down. We have over 950 rabbis and community leaders in our Alliance who have lost their income and we have not received anything!
During this time, large sums of money flowed for other religious institutions.
Manhattan Congregation Emanu El between $ 1 million and $ 2 million, while St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Islamic Center of America each carried between $ 350,000 and $ 1 million, according to records.
Religious organizations have reported at least $ 7.3 billion in federal coronavirus relief aid, according to News week.
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