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Prof Urges Bet Din Should Examine Part of the Madoff Fraud

By Howard M. Friedman

An op-ed published yesterday in the Forward urges that one of the principals in the Madoff financial fraud be brought before a Jewish religious court (bet din). Villanova law professor Chaim Saiman suggests that actions by Ezra Merkin, the feeder fund manager who was responsible for large amounts of money from Jewish non-profits being directed to Madoff, should be examined under Halacha (Jewish law). Saiman writes: "Halacha?s explicit religious terminology ... vocalizes the underlying sense of communal betrayal that lies at the bottom of this case."

Full post as published by Religion Clause on January 16, 2009 (boomark / email).