To what extent would a relationship with a party recuse a judge from judging a case? By Rabbi Yosef Fund Judging vs. Testifying The Mishna[1] states in the name of Ribbi Yehudah, that a close friend – such as a Shushbin (member of wedding party similar to best man or bridesmaid) – may not bear witness for his friend, as is the case with an enemy who has not spoken to the … [Read more...]
Misleading the Masses
Providing inaccurate information for a cause / By Rabbi Ariel Ovadia With over 1.5 billion users worldwide, Facebook has become a place that people flock to for real-time news and information. Last year, a study by the Pew Research Center found that 63 percent of Facebook’s users considered the service a news source. Yet, after a long set of interviews, journalists have … [Read more...]
The Death Tax
Keeping the Money in the Family / Adapted by Rabbi Ariel Ovadia In case you haven’t heard, the federal estate, gift and generation-skipping transfer tax (collectively known as the “death tax”) turned 100 this month. The United States death tax is liable on estates above a “standard deduction” of about $5.4 million ($10.8 million if a surviving spouse passes). The top death … [Read more...]
The Troublesome Tax Haven
The Panama Papers, Wearing Sha’atnez and Tax Avoidance / By: Rabbi Yosef Fund Several important documents were leaked in the April 2016 scandal known as the “Panama Papers”. The leaked documents detail the operations of a Panamanian law firm and its clients’ shell companies. Creating an offshore business entity is not illegal in the jurisdiction in which it is registered. … [Read more...]