Do we really care?
I've been contacted recently by Jews who are or who are, God forbid, about to be homeless.
Each time I refer them to a Jewish community agency, they respond by saying they've already tried getting help from that agency to no avail. These Jewish community agencies do not have housing help. They might give a small grant for food assistance or utility assistance, but that's about it.
So what do these Jewish agencies do?
Apparently they refer poor Jews to government agencies and government programs.
So, for example, in cases I know of in New York City, several Orthodox Jews will have to use the city's shelter system – which is considered to be dangerous – or sleep on the streets.
Jewish run shelters are generally non-Orthodox synagogues which use their space one or two days per month as shelters. In NYC that means they are part of the city's shelter system and all of its drawbacks.
Do we have a responsibility to help poor Jews? Does that responsibility include help with housing?
Without question, Jewish law says we do.
So why don't we?
Are there Jewish resources I don't know about?