1 Percent Class

Chabad of Brandon, 3005 Waylon Ln., Valrico, will host a class titled "The 1 Percent - Distribution and Redistribution of Wealth" Feb. 7 from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. 

Data tells us that, in many ways, there are greater gaps than ever between the rich and the poor. In these difficult economic times, this is seen by some as a glaring injustice that must be remedied. There should not be a 1 percent that lives so much better than the other 99 percent. Wealth must be redistributed.

On the other hand, there are those who say that it is no one’s business what anyone does with their legally gained assets. Anyone who wants can work harder. Prosperity depends on people finding ways to work harder and better; redistributing wealth destroys the incentive to work hard. Why bother to work hard when prosperity will be delivered to one’s doorstep anyway?

What wisdom does Judaism have to offer on the issue of the distribution of wealth? Is wealth a mark of sin, a sign that a person has greedily taken too much and necessarily impoverished others? Is poverty a sign of laziness or ineptitude, an outer indication of a poor character? Let us explore together why there is inequality in wealth and what should we do about it.