Jewish Inheritance Planning

May is National Jewish Heritage Month, a timely reminder that clients’ cultural and faith commitments often shape decisions about estate planning, legacy, family harmony, and end‑of‑life choices. This program addresses how advisers of all faiths can incorporate Jewish faith considerations into mainstream planning for their clients without becoming religious-law experts. The discussion frames three common client profiles: those not interested in religious considerations, those who wish to transmit Jewish identity and values culturally, and those who seek religious compliance with Jewish law, or “halacha.” Attention then turns to a the point that Jewish default inheritance rules differ from what clients typical wish in modern equal‑share dispositions. The program explains a practical, low‑friction solution used in many cases, a simple Jewish derived contract document to be signed in addition to the traditional estate planning documents. This documents is called a Shtar Chov (also called a Shtar Chatzei Zachar), which creates a Jewish law (halachic) obligation designed to remove incentives for heirs to challenge a civil estate plan in a Jewish court (Bet Din) while leaving the civil documents unchanged. The approach applies whether the plan is basic or highly sophisticated. The program also highlights planning-adjacent issues, including faith‑sensitive healthcare decision-making tools and a structured conversation guide that helps families communicate values for substituted judgment, along with resources addressing organ donation. Practical takeaways focus on client communication, risk management, and where to find free, user‑friendly forms and explanations at www.ematai.org.

Speakers: Rabbi Shlomo Brody, PhD founder of Ematai. and Martin Shenkman, Esq.