August 30, 2005
A Synagogue close to Boston has begun advertising low rate mortgages in order to try to revive the Orthodox Jewish population in the area. Congregation Beth Israel in the suburb of Malden has been making low interest loans to members for several years but has now begun advertising in national Jewish publications. Once the centre of a thriving Orthodox Jewish community, Beth Israel is trying to breathe new life into a population that has declined. The synagogue peaked with 300 members in the 1950s; today it has just 100. The campaign has not lead to any new loans yet but there have been expressions of interest from around the country.