Beyond partisan politics

Every week I struggle to come up with a unifying theme that ties together the various items featured in this newsletter. Writing these words at a Torah Umesorah conference held at a Trump branded hotel, it is easy to say that all of our highlights commend President Trump and his administration (especially Ambassador Haley). The president does indeed deserve credit for his actions, but it’s worth noting that bipartisanship is alive and well in DC.

Whether it is the long list of those who felt that Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin’s 27 year jail sentence was excessive or this week’s House vote on disaster relief funding which included houses of worship, some things extend beyond partisan politics.

This week also highlighted the power of people to make a difference. Whether it was the effort to obtain justice for Mr. Rubashkin or the grassroots outreach on the tax bill which helped ensure certain provisions were included in the final bill, many organizations and countless individuals played a role in their eventual success.

We have received many questions about the new 529 plan expansion included in the newly passed tax code overhaul and how it can help parents pay for private school tuition. We are working with attorneys and accountants to examine how families can maximize the available federal and, in many cases, state tax benefits. In the meantime, this Politico article outlines some of the potential issues