Money Matters

Embark on a journey of Jewish learning and discovery, exploring the depth of our Money Matters resources, where tagged items including audio, programs, and podcast episodes await your exploration.

Unworthy Aid

Rabbi Jay Kelman

Tragically natural disasters are a relatively common occurrence. The scene is familiar – pictures of destruction and death, with pale looking survivors searching eagerly for help. Calls go out for money to help rebuild lives and property. The…
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The Credit Crunch

Rabbi Jay Kelman

With the United States and possibly the world economy teetering on the brink of recession, central bankers around the world have been feverishly trying to ensure that credit will remain readily available. Thus the continuing lowering of interest…
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Donation Dispute

Rabbi Jay Kelman

How sad when the giving of a large charitable gift becomes the source of friction and law suits. In 1991 Sears Canada Inc. donated $10 million to Ryerson University and is currently initiating legal action in an attempt to force Ryerson University…
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Firing for Gossip

Rabbi Jay Kelman

Office chatter has long been a staple of the workplace. While such occasional chit chat can serve to enhance the atmosphere and collegiality amongst fellow workers it can and often does lead to gossip. This past May the town of Hooksett, New…
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Fair Funding Lessons

Rabbi Jay Kelman

Despite pockets of great wealth many Jews continue to live below the poverty line, and middle class Jews are being priced out of a Jewish education. Hence the unparalleled interest in the upcoming provincial election in which the issue of faith…
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Rolling the Dice

Rabbi Jay Kelman

The accusations against an official of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in a gambling scandal afford us the opportunity for a brief overview gambling from a Jewish perspective. Judaism has always looked askance at gambling. It is viewed as…
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More Work Pays Less

Rabbi Jay Kelman

The obligation to pay a worker on time is so central to Jewish ethics that failure to do is a violation of five Biblical commandments (eating pork in contrast, violates just one). While in today’s environment, with paper trails and backups, disputes…
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Communal Education

Rabbi Jay Kelman

The ever increasing costs of Jewish education have been the focus of many articles recently including at least three in this newspaper just this past week. The unaffordable cost for many in our community of attaining a Jewish education is not a new…
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Legal Proceedings

Rabbi Jay Kelman

The riveting financial news of the past month has been the trial of Conrad Black; accused of fraud, racketeering, money laundering and obstruction of justice during his tenure as CEO of Hollinger Inc. Unfortunately our society seems to ‘enjoy’ the…
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Pesach Economics

Rabbi Jay Kelman

One of the guiding principles in responding to questions of Jewish law is the economic impact one’s decision will have on the questioner. The principle of hefesed meruba – a great monetary loss - allows, perhaps obligates one to override many of our…
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