Time to consider Roth conversions, estate planning

We are nearing the end of 2019. And, there’s something significant to note about this year and 2020: There will likely not be any tax increases during these years. Currently, we are enjoying the lowest income tax rates in decades as well as the highest estate tax exemptions. Income tax rates range from 10% to 37% and capital gains tax ranges from 0% to 20%, while the estate & gift tax exemption is $11,400,000 per person! What does this have to do with you? Plenty! Especially if you have retirement accounts and/or are worth more than $2 million per person. [Sheryl Rowling, CPA]

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Business & Finance, Sheryl Rowling, USA

Tao House: Where O’Neill wrote well-known plays

The playwright Eugene O’Neill (1888-1953) grew bored and frustrated by what passed for theatre early in his life.  There were few stories told that connected with reality; instead, theater essentially was spectacle – lots of costumes, big sets, predictable plots and one-dimensional characters. He wanted to change all that, suggested Tory Starling, the educational technician at the Eugene O’Neill National Historic Site.   He experimented in various forms of theatre. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Lifestyles, The World We Share, Theatre, Film & Broadcast, Travel and Food, USA

U.S. receives large returns on Israel investment

Both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have made US military aid to Israel a cornerstone policy on their competing campaign trails. Detractors of Israel like to jump on the figure of $3.8 Billion (2019) that the United States gives to Israel for its military defense. What they do not take into consideration are three important factors that make the US-Israel defense relationship truly unique. [Barry Shaw]

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Barry Shaw, Middle East, USA

Should Israel moderate its Iran stand?

It’s difficult to know whether Netanyahu’s obsession with Iran is because he cares for his country or if his real purpose is to persuade Israelis that he and only he can make sure that Israel remains secure, expanding at the expense of the Palestinians and prosperous? The answer isn’t simple. For there’s much to suggest that Israeli hostility to Iran has brought the Jewish state closer to many Arab states, notably Saudi Arabia and Gulf States, on the basis that my enemy’s enemy is my friend. Much of that may be thanks to our prime minister. [Rabbi Dow Marmur]

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Middle East

Rabbi Samuel’s many insights into Maimonides

His work is comprehensive, full of information, and eye-opening. The writings on each parasha is divided by chapters; each of which is subdivided by subjects that Rabbi Samuel addresses in clear detail. For example, in Genesis chapter 1, he examines 22 subjects, such as the meaning of Elohim, the purpose of creation, the reason for marriages, God does not decree moral behavior, the nature of biblical metaphors, exempting women from some biblical commands, and more. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion, Michael Leo Samuel-Rabbi

A consortium of 100 geniuses

Besides being Jewish what do these people have in common?  Amir Amedi, Ron Arad, Marc Benioff, Michael Bloomberg, Ruth Bader Ginsburg,  Daniel S. Goldin, Roger D. Kornberg, Deborah Nadoolman Landis, John Landis, Uri Levine, Shuki Levy, Daniel Libeskind, Shimon Peres (z”l), Ehud Shabtai,  Amir Shinar and Barbra Streisand. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Business & Finance, Donald H. Harrison, International, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego County, Sports & Competitions, The World We Share, Travel and Food

Author Lindsay Lerman is not from nowhere

Lindsay Lerman, the author of a new novel titled I’m From Nowhere, was born in the Chicago area and attended Northern Arizona University for her undergraduate studies and later received a PhD in philosophy from a university in Canada. And yes, given the motto of this online newspaper, there’s a Jewish story here, too, as you will see as you read on. [Dan Bloom]

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Books, Poetry & Short Stories, The World We Share

Letting go of cherished beliefs

What is surprising is that facts have very little to do with changing people’s minds. Beliefs that have an emotional charge cannot be easily dislodged. We like to hold on to something that has been part of our belief system for a long time; change means we must negate what worked for us for many years, to accept that we had been wrong all those years. We tend to accept information that confirms what we believe and discard contradictory information even when presented as facts. We attach labels to genders, races, and cultures. [Natasha Josefowitz, Ph.D]

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Lifestyles, Natasha Josefowitz

A busy November for Friends of Israel Defense Forces

With the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) planning its Western Regional Gala on Thursday, Nov.7, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, and the San Diego/ Orange County/ Arizona chapter planning a local gala just two days later on Nov. 9 at the Hilton Bayfront Hotel here in San Diego, it’s likely to be a busy time for the local chapter’s board. [Donald H. Harrison]

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Donald H. Harrison, Middle East, Music, Dance, and Visual Arts, Obituaries & memorials, San Diego Calendar, San Diego County

Arab countries should pay for humanitarian relief in Gaza

The senator’s scheme to relieve their pain collapses when he proposes that funds for humanitarian aid there be diverted from the $3.8 million that America sends to Israel each year for military aid. Why Israel? Why not all the oil-rich Arab countries that spend their money on royal palaces and extravagant vacations? They launched the war of 1948 that sent Palestinians fleeing Israel in all directions or living mainly in Gaza and the West Bank. What is their responsibility? [Bruce Ticker]

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Bruce Ticker, Middle East, USA

Why the Tower of Babel offended God

One of the reasons that I think God might have been so angry at the people for building the tower, was because they misunderstood an essential piece of what it means to be close to God. There are most definitely some physical places and spaces where we may feel closer to God than others, but what the people building the tower failed to realize is that God can be found everywhere. [Rabbi Joshua Dorsch]

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Jewish Religion

Parashat Noach can be a guide to Torah reading

Why were different divine punishments done in very different ways? For example, Cain was banished in Genesis 4:12 for murdering his brother Abel; Noah’s generation was killed with flood in Genesis 6-8; Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed with brimstone and fire in Genesis 19:24,  the builders of the Tower of Babel were punished by having their languages confused in Genesis 11: 7; Egyptians who enslaved Israelites died during ten plagues beginning in in Exodus 7. [Rabbi Dr. Israel Drazin]

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Israel Drazin-Rabbi Dr., Jewish Religion