Small Business,

Meet Facebook
and Twitter

How Small Businesses

Are Profiting From
Social Media
By Hilary Markow
Page 4

In This Issue:

Going Nuts for Get Your Financial House Plan for the Future
Illinois Nut & Candy In Order Challenges Lie Ahead
By Mendy Rimler By Moshe Klein By Jewish Business News Staff
Page 6 Page 8 Page 10
 CONTENT FROM THE PUBLISHER
3 BUSINESS NETWORKING
CALENDAR Dear Reader,
4 COVER STORY
For decades, “building a business” meant working long
Small Business, Meet Facebook
and Twitter hours, creating value for customers and generating referrals
How small businesses are profiting from family and friends.
from social media
By Hilary Markow It still means that, but today small business owners must do even more. In
this month’s cover story, “Small Business, Meet Facebook and Twitter: How
6 FEATURED BUSINESS
Going Nuts for Candy at Small Businesses Are Profiting From Social Media,” Hilary Markow looks at
Illinois Nut & Candy how small businesses are creating Web sites, building Facebook and Twitter
By Mendy Rimler presences and becoming fluent in the language of social media.

8 IN MY OPINION Here at Jewish Business News, we like to take advantage of our social
Get Your Financial House in Order
media opportunities. In addition to the magazine, we’ve got a Web
By Moshe Klein
site (www.thejewishbusiness.com), LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/
9 FEATURED NETWORKERS groups?gid=3615240), and Twitter (www.twitter.com/jewishb2b) accounts
and a Facebook page (www.facebook.com/jewishb2bnetworking). All of
9 BUSINESS ETHICS these help us connect with you, our readers.
Making the Mundane Holy
What has your experience been with these new communication frontiers?
10 SMALL BUSINESS FORECAST
Plan for the Future Have you tried riding the social media wave?
By Jewish Business News Staff
JBN is scheduling events, speakers and workshops on social media for the
12 SMALL BUSINESS remainder of 2011. If you are interested in finding out more, please email
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE events@thejewishbusiness.com and you will be included on any event
notifications.
14 JOBS BOARD

As always, please let us know how we are doing with the magazine. Send all
comments and suggestions to editor@thejewishbusiness.com.

To Success,
On the cover:
Cover montage images from iStock Photography
Shalom Klein
Publisher: Shalom Klein
Editor: Gerald Burstyn
Contributing Editor: Moshe Klein,
Khane-Faygl Turtletaub
Distribution Coordinator: James Austin
Advertising/Sales Coordinator: Leah Alpert
Creative Director: Michael Borkovec
Writers: Blanca Campos, Jeff Kamen, Hilary Markow,
Mendy Rimler.

Check www.thejewishbusiness.com for updates.

© 2011 Jewish Business News. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in part or whole without permission
is prohibited. Editorial, publishing and advertising
offices: 3564 W. Dempster St., Skokie, IL 60076,
Phone: (888) 477-4466.

2 Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc. www.thejewishbusiness.com


networkingmonkey.com & jewishb2bnetworking.com
All events are free unless otherwise noted.
February 1
Caffeinated Connections Networking
7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
Morris Graduate School of Management
1000 E. Woodfield Road, Suite 100
Schaumburg, Ill.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/VBFza)
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
Build a Successful Marketing
Strategy with Bing and Yahoo! Search
12 Noon - 1:30 pm
Cost: $20 per person by January 26th; $25 per
person after January 26th. Microsoft, 200 E.
Randolph, 2nd Floor, Chicago, Ill.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/zXTGK)
Illinois Statistics: Median Household income - $63,000
February 2
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
Crossing the Finish Line:
Completing College
8:00 am - 10:30 am
Roosevelt University, 430 S. Michigan, 2nd Fl,
Chicago, Ill.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/D9k4J)
Chicagoland ExecuNet
Networking Meeting
4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Kendall College
900 N. North Branch St., Chicago, Ill.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/DmSiw)
February 3
Lakeview Networking Luncheon
11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Ines Kinchen & Flourish Studios
3020 N Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, Ill.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/yRBss)
February 7
Computer Class: You Can’t
Google This
7:00 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Skokie Public Library
5212 Oakton St., Skokie, Ill.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/qF0Y6)
Cutting Edge Events: Chicago
Networking Event
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
$5 pre-sale; $10 door
District Bar
170 West Ontario Ave
Chicago, Ill.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/LYWKS)
www.thejewishbusiness.com
Brought to you by
February 8 February 18
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
Emerging Trends in Business: The Secret of Winning Federal
Intellectual Property Contracts
5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. 7:45 a.m. - 9:15 a.m.
Members: $20/person; Non-Members: $25/person Complimentary for Chamber Members; $10 for
McAndrews, Held & Malloy, 500 W. Madison St., Non-Members
Suite 3400, Chicago, Ill. 200 E. Randolph St., Suite 2200, Chicago, Ill.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/JpY1Z) (Register online: http://goo.gl/gR25i)
X Team Dinner Club Networking February 21
Event Career Support Group
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Cost: $5 Skokie Public Library
13301 S. Ridgeland Ave., Palos Heights, Ill. 5212 Oakton St., Skokie, Ill.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/fZcin) (Register online: http://goo.gl/LMgO6)
February 9 February 22
Chicago HR Whine and Dine Jewish B2B Networking
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. February Networking Meeting
Elephant and Castle, 111 W. Adams St., Chicago, Ill.
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/GEXPF)
GCG Financial, 3000 Lakeside Dr., Suite 200S,
Bannockburn, Ill.
UIC Family Business Council (Register online: http://goo.gl/cLAYK)
Social Media Strategies and Tips for
Your Small Business Building a Resume
3:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Museum of Science and Industry, 57th Street & Skokie Public Library
Lakeshore Drive, Chicago, Ill. 5212 Oakton St., Skokie, Ill.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/jWy3x) (Register online: http://goo.gl/k3i5M)
February 10
DePaul University: How to Find Your February 24
Company’s Weakest Link Park Ridge Edison Park Bowling
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Challenge
The Metropolitan Club at Willis Tower 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
233 S. Wacker Drive, 66th Floor, Chicago, Ill. Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce, 6715 N.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/1WPpA) Olmsted, Chicago, Ill.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/0NvQp)
February 16
Industrial Council of Nearwest Financial Solutions for Business
Owners
Chicago: Where in the World Is Your
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Next Customer? Skokie Public Library
9 a.m. – 12 noon 5212 Oakton St., Skokie, Ill.
Illinois International Trade Center at ICNC (Register online: http://goo.gl/fHpj1)
320 N. Damen Ave., First floor, Chicago, Ill.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/gZWdq)
February 28
Sustainable Business Fundamentals North Central College
Improve Your Face-to-Face
3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Various fees; check online Networking Skills
Haworth Showroom, 312 Merchandise Mart, 9:00 a.m. – 12 noon
Chicago, Ill. $125
(Register online: 455 S Brainard Street, Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium,
http://feb11fsba102.eventbrite.com/) Room 220, Naperville, Ill.
(Register online: http://goo.gl/0sSdU)
Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc. 3
 Small Business, Meet Facebook
and Twitter
How small businesses are
profiting from social media
By Hilary Markow
What do you get when you cross a spa with a wine boutique? And how
did a small business develop from a concept to a venture working with
Groupon in less than a year?
Let’s drink a toast to social media.
Uva Spa and Wine Boutique opened last September. But its Facebook
page went up a full six months earlier, in March.
“We got started with our Facebook account before we even opened, to
get a read on interest in the business and let people know what was to
come,” Iris Alicea, Uva’s owner, said in an interview. “We got fans and people
talking about the concept. We used it as a tool to educate about wine-based skin
care services and about wine. We created a dialogue between our fans and Uva.”
In fact, some 60 percent of Uva’s customers were Facebook fans even before
the store opened in Harwood Heights. What’s more, Alicea developed Uva’s
business strategy based in part on the kinds of queries she received from her
Facebook fans. “We got questions from them and applied some of that learning
to our business plan.”
At present, Uva counts 438 fans, 80 percent of whom have bought services at
the boutique, which offers luxurious skin care services for face, hands and backs
using products made from wine and grape seed essences. (Uva is Spanish for
“grape.”) Uva also sells distinctive wines and rents space for parties and special
events.
And that’s just Facebook. Uva uses Twitter to post alerts for special deals “if
you’re in the neighborhood” and to inform followers about wine tastings and the
health benefits of antioxidants.
‘Social media is not the only tool
to grow business, but it’s one
you can’t ignore.’
Alicea credits her daughter Tracey Garcia, who, like Alicea, has a marketing
background, for building and maintaining Uva’s social media accounts. Tracey
spends about 10 hours a week on the site and checks it every day for questions
or comments. “You need to respond to people quickly and keep their interest,”
Alicea explained. “If you don’t put up anything new, people don’t come back.”
Alicea also established a Uva Web site, (www.uvastore.com), for which she
spent about $200.
Recently, Alicea used Facebook, Twitter and its Web site to drive people to Uva’s
Groupon deal. The Uva team opted for Groupon’s Merchant Store, which lists
offers for a week and lets store owners save money by composing their own deal
descriptions. Getting the word out to a sizable database of Facebook and Twitter
followers resulted in immediate calls and business during the holidays, mostly
from new customers. Not bad for a business less than a year old.
Social media is not the only tool to use to grow a business, but it’s one you can’t
ignore. And Facebook and Twitter, which allow small business owners to connect
4 Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc.
with people, learn what they like — or don’t like — and build a community, are
the acknowledged giants in the field.
According to a survey of 500 small business owners conducted by Network
Solutions and the Center for Excellence in Service at the University of Maryland’s
Smith School of Business, the number of small businesses using social media
doubled from 12 percent in 2008 to 24 percent in 2009.
In May of 2010, FedEx Office released the results of its third annual “Signs of the
Times” national small business survey. The report found that 46 percent of small
businesses have plans to grow by improving their company’s online presences,
while another 36 percent plan to utilize social media/networking Web sites to
build business.
Daniel Rosenberg, a social media specialist at Foreseeresults, which delivers
online customer satisfaction analytics, said that social media is here to stay.
“Facebooking has become a way of life, the population of Facebook is 600
million … Twitter has nearly 125 million users.”
He advises businesses of all shapes and sizes to leverage that reach, “whether it is
through simply social networking or disseminating general information about a
cause or promotion.” The true value of Facebook, said Rosenberg, is “the overall
volume of users and content Facebook owns and its retention in terms of users.”
We spoke with owners of several small businesses in the Chicago area to see how
they were leveraging Facebook and Twitter to promote their businesses. It turns
out that some are just getting started online while others are veterans. But all
acknowledge the importance of social media for creating relationships that can
turn “fans” and “followers” into paying customers and clients.
It’s Worth It
“We’ve secured a Facebook page and a Twitter account and plan to go active
in [the first quarter of 2011],” reports Avi Lev of Worthy Insurance Group, a
Chicago-based full service property and casualty insurance brokerage whose
commercial division serves specialty niches in healthcare companies and real
estate.
The company’s Web site, worthyinsurancegroup.com, already extends a personal
welcome, testimonials and the ability to follow company news and offers on
Facebook and Twitter.
So what are his plans for Facebook and Twitter? “Our goal is to relate to people,
communicate who we are,” Lev shared. He said he plans on his pages being
www.thejewishbusiness.com
“informative, but in a way that is also personalized,” and establishing personality
profiles for himself and his three employees to showcase their commitment to
helping clients. He also plans on using YouTube to feature client testimonials,
an effective touch in an industry that has long recognized the importance of
referrals.
Worthy Insurance Group plans to spend up to $700 a month to maintain its new
social media outlets, using third party professionals Lev met through networking.
A Design All His Own
When Dream Kitchens, Inc., an award-winning, full-service kitchen and bath
design, installation and construction company, moved from Skokie to a 2,500
square-foot showroom in Highland Park, owner Rick Glickman could no
longer depend on foot traffic and neighborhood familiarity to draw customers.
“That’s when I started seeing social media as a logical way for people to notice
me,” Glickman explained. “Facebook was one way to reintroduce Dream
Kitchens to Highland Park and to the community at large, to stay in front of
people. I use the analogy of a business as a tree; even though you’re standing
still, you still need to grow. Social media is nutrition for growth.”
Now with 80 “likes” and 104 active users a month, Glickman updates his
Facebook page weekly and tracks who’s coming to see photos of design ideas
and his showroom. He also posts news on remodeling projects, promotions,
services and a link to dreamkitchens.com, where potential customers can see
Dream Kitchens featured on hgtv.com.
Glickman is currently using software that updates his Web site and Twitter and
Facebook accounts simultaneously. “Being active on social media and linking
to it shows people we’re proactive, modern and on the cutting edge, staying
on top of what’s new, to demonstrate you’re on top of what’s going on in your
own industry. We’re using it to show creativity that they won’t find someplace
else. It reflects who you are.”
Bang for the Buck
Fan Interest With Facebook
Inspired by social media success stories? Here are some Facebook basics and insights
to get you started.
1. Log into Facebook and click on “Advertising” at the bottom of the page. Then
click Pages and Create a Page. Select the category of your business and fill in the
details. As in many things, the more, the better — your company logo, photos, videos,
links to your Web site and blog — and remember keywords. Keywords are those that
people will use to search for you, so make sure you write the words that describe your
services or products.
2. Your Facebook page should feature all the important information about your
company. For example: the overview, Web site and contact information, news and
status, PR, Twitter updates and customer interaction.
3. Before launching, devise a plan for how you will use the page. You should be
able to answer these questions for starters: Which of my customers/clients are on
Facebook? What interest or value will my Facebook page provide them? How will I
keep them interested? How will I maintain my page? How will I measure the success
of my page?
4. Get the word out! People can become fans of your page (as opposed to your Profile
“friends”) but only if they know about you. After you invite your friends and family,
have them invite others. Then network by contacting people working in related fields,
or anyone who would benefit from the information you’ll provide and invite them to
become fans of your page.
5. After your small business has 30 “likes,” you will have free access to Facebook
Insight. This analytic tool tells you how well your page is performing by providing
data on users, including monthly active users, daily new “likes,” total “likes,” etc., and
“interactions,” including daily post views, daily post feedback, daily story feedback,
most recent posts and daily page activity. Both are important and have many uses, but
your “interactions” can really show the effectiveness of your work.
6. Whether the people on your page are family, community or tribe, be a good host
and feed their interest. Keep them entertained and ask questions that engage them in
conversation. You can even offer exclusive Facebook Fan incentives to reward them.
Encourage people to come early and often and feel connected to your brand. That in
turn will encourage them to share your page with their network.
-- Hilary Markow

Rich Levy, owner of the new online company b2bucks, is a firm believer in
social media. His three-month-old start-up, b2bucks.com, is like Groupon for
small business, offering discount deals on products and services. It’s a win-
win, as buyers save while participating companies get major exposure.

Levy started using Facebook in late 2007, as “there was a definite tipping point
that year when the site transitioned from college kids to professionals.” Now?
“It’s everything. It’s the new media. When you consider that one in 10 human
beings on planet earth is on Facebook.”

His three-person company works from home and coffee shops. Like many
savvy start-ups, the Internet is their true office. It took just three months for
b2bucks to get 176 Twitter followers and 213 Facebook likes. About half
of the email addresses b2bucks uses come through social media, with the
other half coming from lists. “We have grown completely organically with
no advertising,” Levy explained. “From zero to almost 400 people actively
watching this space [b2bucks.com] simply through social media and viral
email campaigns.”

When asked what other means of reaching customers, besides social media and
email, they’re using, Levy replied, “the press. For example, we are offering
discounted garage parking on our site this week. The same week that the city
is raising rates by 20 percent. So we want to be all over this.” No doubt, it will
appear on b2bucks.com and on Facebook and Twitter.

To use social media effectively (see sidebar), plan to let people know what and
who you are, listen to what they want or need and feature information that’s
engaging and relevant. When you use real-time social media like Facebook and
Twitter, you don’t have to meet someone face-to-face to get to know them —
or eventually, get their business. And we can all toast to that.

Hilary Markow is a freelance writer in Chicago and owner/creative director

of Good Thinking, LLC, Creative and Marketing Services.

www.thejewishbusiness.com Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc. 5

 Going Nuts for Candy
at Illinois Nut & Candy
By Mendy Rimler
While chocolates, toffees, nut brittle and other sticky confections have always satisfied
our sugar cravings, Illinois Nut & Candy is taking candy to the next level.
Since the candy store opened in 2004, founders David and Melissa Levine have been
serving up a wide array of chocolates and candies to a local and national customer base.
The largest kosher candy store in the Midwest, Skokie, Ill.-based Illinois Nut boasts
over 1,500 candy variations. Popular with consumer and corporate customers alike,
Illinois Nut specializes in personalizing candy to serve party or advertising needs.
“We’re more than just a candy store; we cater to our customers’ needs. We sell lactose-
free, gluten-free, sugar-free, organic and vegan-friendly candy ,” David Levine said.
“We work together with our corporate clients and offer them the ability to advertise
themselves by putting their logo on chocolate, or creating promotional products, like the
chocolate phones we did for a phone company, or chocolate hammers for a handyman.”
Of course, kids like the store, too. With its endearing Candyland facade, Illinois
Nut provides a fun and truly sweet experience for kids who never leave without a
complimentary candy. “I’m known as the candy man,” David chuckles.
David, who carries chocolates instead of business cards and was dubbed the “kosher
6 Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc.
David Levine, the “Kosher Willy Wonka” making deliveries in the Illinois Nut Caravan.
Willy Wonka” by Fox Business News, employs a staff of four to 10 personnel,
depending on the rate of business, which usually spikes before Jewish holidays. At
those times, the store is a hub for holiday shoppers who descend on Illinois Nut for
holiday-themed chocolates like chocolate Dreidels for Chanukah, the 10 plagues in
chocolate for Passover, or a chocolate Hamentash for Purim.
According to Menachem Lubinsky, CEO of Lubicom Marketing Consulting and
editor of Kosher Today, a leading news and information service for kosher food and
beverages, specialty confectionary and chocolate gifts is a growing niche in the kosher
specialty industry.
“Personal buying has slowed because of health concerns, but more and more people
Illinois Statistics: Electricity - 8.38 cent per KWH
are buying specialty sweets and chocolates for gifts,” Lubinsky said. “In addition, the
online presence of kosher specialty food is growing tremendously.”
Continued on page 13
www.thejewishbusiness.com
www.thejewishbusiness.com Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc. 7
 Get Your Financial House In Order
A recipe for business success
By Moshe Klein
In recent years, I have been called upon as a consultant to work with
organizations and businesses that need help restructuring and reorganizing after
they have failed to properly keep their financial houses in order.
It may sound as though I am being harsh when I say this, but while I understand
that every business is different, one theme remains constant: a well-organized
and managed business stands a greater chance of succeeding than a poorly
managed one. Forgive the analogy, but a meat-eating smoker has a much higher
risk of early death than a vegetarian non-smoker. It’s true and the facts are there
to prove it.
I recall one not-for-profit organization that hired my firm to do bookkeeping,
accounting and consulting. It was clear the project would be challenging. The
“books” were a mess: QuickBooks had not been updated for almost six months
1. Decide your role in the business and stick to it.
2. Hire people for all of the other responsibilities.
3. Set up weekly staff meetings to review and discuss all aspects
of the business.
4. Hire an outside accountant or auditor to review your books.
5. Create a management “open door policy” to encourage idea
exchanges.
6. Talk to your clients.
7. Talk to your employees.
8. Network and talk to your peers.
9. Set monthly/quarterly meetings with your board of directors.
In my opinion, a business owner or manager who religiously follows these simple
guidelines will have his or her financial house in order. It’s simple. By constantly

and blank checks had been handed out to staff for “expenses” like candy.
Vendors had not been paid for months – even years in some cases. You get the
picture.
Normally, I wouldn’t agree to service a client like this for any amount of money.
However, the director of the organization pleaded for my help. Further, he
pledged to change his ways and heed my guidance.
Well, we made progress over the first few months. We worked hard to correct and
update QuickBooks to accurately report all income and expense transactions.
We created a list of vendors and staff that were owed money and created a tiered
repayment structure. We even set up certain “best practices” for running the
business office.
Illinois Statistics: Gasoline - $2.99 / Gasoline Tax - 32.5 cents per gallon
reviewing every aspect of your business with a qualified team of professional
associates, employees and consultants, you stand the greatest chance of correctly
identifying your business management strengths and weaknesses. The results
will likely be a business that will be enjoyable to manage and profitable enough
to support your family for years to come.
Moshe Klein is an accountant and small business consultant. His firm, Moshe
Klein & Associates, Ltd. is based in Chicago and services clients throughout
the United States and Canada. To respond to his column, write to Moshe at:
mk@thejewishbusiness.com.

‘A well-organized and managed business

stands a greater chance of succeeding
than a poorly-managed one.’

Unfortunately, old habits are hard to break. As soon as the director saw that
things were getting better, he reverted to poor record keeping and reckless
spending. The organization fell further in debt, and the trust that was repaired
with employees and vendors eroded rapidly.

With a basic and lasting commitment to putting his financial house in order, this
director could have placed his organization on proper footing. Unfortunately,
most business owners and managers don’t pay attention to business basics.
When left unchecked year after year, poor management results in financial ruin.

By the way, the Internal Revenue Service doesn’t look kindly upon businesses
that don’t keep good records. In fact, audits of small businesses are on the rise.
Even the not-for-profit realm is considered fair game these days.

Have you ever been through an IRS audit? If you have, then you know that
you will be expected to produce receipts and documents for every line-item
transaction that makes up your business and/or personal returns going back
several years. Oftentimes, these demands result in a last-minute and very costly
scramble to recreate years of financial records. Setting up and keeping your
financial house in order from the get-go could have prevented all of this.

Allow me to share some advice with every business owner and manager reading
this column. It’s my recipe for business success.

8 Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc. www.thejewishbusiness.com

 Rabbi Marc J. Belgrad
Seeking Job in Organization
Personal motto: I enable organizations to
articulate and fulfill their missions.
My work: I organize, strengthen and build
communities through dialogue and education.
What sets me apart: My ability to listen to those
involved and to utilize their insights in building a
stronger organization.
Marina Chudnovsky
Zarem Golde ORT
Motto: Never give up on anyone, never deprive
someone of hope.
My work: I generate ideas to further school
development and plan program improvements.
What sets me apart: The concept of tiredness is
foreign to me. I am fearless, fair, flexible, caring
and confident that I will succeed.
Andrew J. Vass
Illinois Statistics: Gasoline - $2.99 / Gasoline Tax - 32.5 cents per gallon
New York Life
Motto: To bridge the digital divide and help people
prepare for retirement.
My work: I help people plan for the future using
tax-advantaged, safe, established programs.
What sets me apart: Honesty, integrity and a
genuine concern for others.
Locate these and other business networkers and create your own profile online at
www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/directory
www.thejewishbusiness.com
Business Ethics 101:
Making the Mundane Holy
A concern for ethical business practices is among the highest
priorities of Jewish legal literature. Maimonides (12th century Spain/
North Africa), the great Jewish legalist and philosopher, begins
his exposition of the laws of courts and civil administration with
an explanation of the verse in Deuteronomy (16:18), “You shall
appoint magistrates and officials….” He details those civil officials’
responsibilities: “They stand before the judges; they make their
rounds to the markets, squares and shops, fixing prices, regulating
weights and correcting abuses.”
Biblical law requires the establishment of accurate weights and
measures. The Jewish exposition of that law calls for periodic self-
inspection and the appointment of an independent inspector as well.
False or deceptive packaging and labeling is similarly forbidden. One
who engages in these unfair practices violates the biblical prohibition
against “placing a stumbling block before a blind person” by playing
to consumers’ weaknesses — as well as, of course, the prohibition
against lying.
‘Jewish ethics encourages the individual
to go beyond the letter of the law in
determining one’s obligations to others in
the economic realm, as in others.’
Jewish civil law is also cognizant of laws and regulations in the wider
non-Jewish societies among which all Jews lived for centuries. The
authority of the government is recognized in such statutes as that
which requires Jewish subjects (in our day, citizens) to pay the taxes
levied upon them fairly and honestly. “The law of the land,” according
to Talmudic regulation, “is the law.”
More broadly than the dictates of law, Jewish ethical literature
prescribes the application of general ethical principles in one’s
business affairs as in every other aspect of one’s life. One is expected
to take precautions not only to avoid taking unfair advantage of those
with whom one does business, but also to guard against creating the
impression of impropriety. For the sake of one’s own good name
and for the reputation of the Jewish people, one must remain above
suspicion and be perceived as fair and honest, even at the cost of some
legitimate gain.
Jewish ethics encourages the individual to go beyond the letter of the
law in determining one’s obligations to others in the economic realm,
as in others. No one is expected to agree to be taken advantage of, but
one is to take even greater care not to gain from any advantage one
has over others. In this way, one brings to one’s own life and one’s
community a measure of the holiness with which Jewish spiritual
practice seeks to imbue even the most mundane affairs.
Courtesy of MyJewishLearning.com, a comprehensive and interactive
online Jewish learning resource.
Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc. 9
 Plan for the Future
Challenges Lie Ahead
By The Staff of Jewish Business News

In January, we told you that in some regions of the country and in some economic
sectors, the economy was beginning to show signs of a recovery. Indeed, in the
Chicago area, we are already seeing unemployment decrease (though it remains
unacceptably high), a slight pickup in manufacturing and encouraging retail sales
results coming out of the recent holiday season.
However, the economy continues to be pulled down by rising gas prices (in many
areas around Chicago the average cost per gallon is well over $3.25), continued
declines in home values and a very sluggish real estate market. Moreover, business
office vacancies remain at high levels, and there is no immediate demand surge
expected. This high vacancy rate in office buildings and retail storefront locations
correlates negatively with forecasted government revenues, mortgage default rates
and the confidence of the small business community.
To make matters more challenging, in early January, lawmakers in Springfield
raised the personal income tax rate by 67 percent and the corporate tax rate by
46 percent to close a huge budget gap. Higher taxes on an already overburdened

Illinois Statistics: Diesel Fuel Tax - 43.5 cents per gallon

population concerned about further job erosion, home equity and buying power
could translate to reduced spending at the small business level.

Telling Economic Indicators

We’ve compiled a handful of economic indicators to help the small business
owner better assess the future direction of the economy.
Bankruptcy filings: According to federal court records, the rate of personal
bankruptcy filings in Illinois continues to increase. Per 1,000 people, 6.35 filed
for bankruptcy protection in 2010 compared to 5.64 people in 2009. In 2008, the
rate was only 4.26 per 1,000. Of those filings in 2010, 77 percent were Chapter 7
(full liquidation) vs. 23 percent for Chapter 13 (reorganization).
Negative equity mortgages: According to Corelogic, Inc., there are
approximately 1.5 million mortgages on single-family homes in the Chicago
area. More than 365,000, approximately 24 percent, have negative equity,
meaning that more money is owed on the mortgage than the estimated value of
the home. Illinois ranks sixth in this category after California, Florida, Arizona,
Michigan and Georgia. Another 81,000 single-family homes in the Chicago area
are considered near negative-equity properties.
Poverty level: According to recent U.S. Census Bureau data, the population of
the Chicagoland area stands at 8.6 million. In Cook County, a full 15 percent
live below the poverty line. In Kane County, the poverty rate is 9 percent and in
Lake County, it’s 8 percent. Almost all counties in Illinois have seen increasing
poverty rates in recent years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Unemployment: A recent U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics report shows that
unemployment rates in Chicagoland continue to fall from a March 2010
peak. The civilian labor force in the area is estimated at 4.1 million people.
Approximately 9.5 percent of that force is unemployed and actively seeking full-
time employment. These figures do not reflect those people who are considered
“underemployed” or who have simply stopped looking for work.

For February 2011, our small business forecast remains stable but challenged.
Of course, the political will to cut spending on entitlements and spur job growth
in Washington, D.C. and Springfield will help enormously. Businesses should
hold a firm and steady course and continue to work a business plan focused
on restraining spending, maintaining sales growth and improving bottom-line
margin and profitability. Avoid carrying credit card debt for business use and
prepare for slow sales performance with ups and downs for the long haul until
the job market improves. Once that happens, a real and meaningful recovery will
be close at hand.

10 Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc. www.thejewishbusiness.com

www.thejewishbusiness.com Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc. 11
 Provided by the Small Business Advocacy Council

Federal Update: Tax Relief Act of 2010
By Blanca Campos
On Dec. 17, 2010, President Obama signed into law the Tax Relief,
Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010
(H.R. 4853). This compromise tax package centers around a temporary,
two-year extension of the Bush tax cuts and includes additional provisions
designed to promote economic growth. It is estimated to cost $858 billion
over 10 years. Here are some important aspects of the act.
Extension of bonus depreciation and Section 179 expense: Bonus depreciation
is intended to help businesses depreciate purchases faster against their taxable
income, thereby encouraging businesses to invest in more equipment. The
act increases first-year bonus depreciation deductions from 50 percent to 100
percent for new additions of machinery, equipment and certain real estate
leasehold improvements made after Sept. 8, 2010 through Dec. 31, 2011.
The estate tax: This tax was a key issue in the policy debate because of its
implication on estates containing small businesses and family-owned farms.
For 2010 only, there was no federal estate tax. Beginning in 2011, the tax is
under Illinois law currently extended to spouses. The law will go into effect
in June 2011. Here’s a look at some of the ways the law could affect small
businesses.
Health benefits: Although not explicitly noted in the law, it appears that
employers will be required to provide couples in civil unions the same health-
care benefits afforded to married couples. However, there’s a lot of complexity
when it comes to benefits, as there are two types of health insurance plans.
Insured plans (in which employees are covered by an insurer) fall under state
law while the federal Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)
governs self-insured plans (in which the employer, not an insurer, pays for
health benefits). Since federal law does not recognize civil unions, self
employers with self-insured plans will not be required to offer couples in civil
unions the same benefits as married couples.
Pension benefits: A surviving partner to a civil union will have the same
survival rights under his or her partner’s pension that a spouse has under that
pension.
Standing to bring wrongful death suit: In the rare case that a business’s acts

Illinois Statistics: State Sales Tax - 6.25% (local taxes can raise this up to 8.5%)
restored. It sets $5 million as the exclusion rate for individuals and $10 million cause the death of a partner to a civil union, the surviving partner will have
for married couples. Estates larger than that would pay 35 percent in estate standing to bring a wrongful death case against the company.
tax; 35 percent would also be the rate set for gift tax and generation-skipping
transfer tax, which covers gifts to grandchildren. Finally, business owners considering entering into a civil union should know
there will be no tax benefits, such as filing a joint federal tax return or the tax-
For deaths in 2010, there is a choice of retaining the “no estate tax” regime free transfer of property at a partner’s death. This is due to the Federal Defense
or applying the 2011 estate tax system with the $5 million exemption. This is of Marriage Act, which prohibits partners in civil unions from receiving any
important practical relief for smaller estates for deaths that occurred in 2010, of the federal benefits of marriage.
as it avoids the complicated carryover basis rules and reporting that applied
under the no estate tax regime. The Small Business Advocacy Council is a non-partisan group with over 160 members,
including law firms, real estate brokers, accounting firms and others.
State Legislative Update: Illinois Civil Union Law
On Dec. 1, 2010, the Illinois Senate approved the Illinois Religious Freedom
Protection and Civil Union Act (SB 1716). The law will provide same-sex
couples the same legal treatment previously available to married couples. At
its essence, the bill says that two people, whether the same or opposite sex,
who have entered into a civil union, are entitled to the same legal treatment

FEATURED BUSINESS
Continued from page 6

To that end, the Levines offer their full selection online at www.raisingthecandybar.
com, where customers from anywhere in the U.S. can order chocolates and
confectioneries. Locally, David makes deliveries in the “Illinois Nut Caravan,” an
eye-turning minivan that has been painted from bumper to bumper with pictures of
colorful candies, nuts and chocolates.

From handmade Viennese crunch toffees, 25 types of candy apples, an award-

winning peanut crunch and a flourless chocolate cake, the wide variety promises
something to satisfy everyone’s palette. On Fridays, the Levine’s sell freshly baked
chocolate chip, cowboy and pecan shortbread cookies using his mother-in-law’s
original recipe.

“When I have a new project, I tell David about it and he always tries his best to help
me out and give me what I need,” Andrea Herman, an artist who lives in Skokie
and a regular customer at the store, said. “There’s an excellent selection at Illinois
Nut, and David always works with my budget and preferences to provide exactly
what I need.”

Disneyland may very well be the happiest place on Earth, says David, who wishes
his customers “a sweet day” before they leave his store. “But we’re definitely the
sweetest place on Earth.”

Mendy Rimler is a freelance writer living in Detroit. To respond to this

article, write to mr@thejewishbusiness.com.

12 Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc. www.thejewishbusiness.com

www.thejewishbusiness.com Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc. 13
 Find out more about these jobs and over 100 more online at
www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs
Consulting Network Engineer, Chicago, Ill.
The Consultant’s principal role is to provide turnkey technology
design, implementation and support for critical small-to-mid size
environments that depend on IT systems to run their business.
See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.
Non-profit Director of Finance, Chicago, Ill.
Interim Director of Finance with possibility of permanence.
This individual would be responsible for oversight of financial,
accounting and facility operations.
See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.
Marketing Coordinator, Chicago, Ill.
The excellent candidate is an enthusiastic, motivated, hands-on
Marketing Coordinator with a solid track record in coordinating
the activities of the marketing department.
See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.
Sales Associate, Chicago, Ill.
Looking for someone with a good track record, decent stability
and experience selling into large strategic accounts.
See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.
Beginning March, Include Your Classified Advertisement For As Low As $25!
14 Jewish Business News - A publication of Jewish B2B Networking, Inc.
Synagogue Director, Chicago, Ill.
The Synagogue Director provides the day-to-day management of
the synagogue’s administrative and fiscal affairs and has primary
responsibility for creating a service-oriented environment.
See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.
Payroll Sales, Chicago, Ill.
We are looking for goal-oriented sales professionals who are
excited to build a career with an industry leader.
See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.
Executive Clothier/Sales, Chicago, Ill.
The fastest growing clothier in the United States is searching for a
new sales agent/executive clothier in the Chicago region.
See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.
Vice President of Development, Chicago, Ill.
As a key member of the senior leadership team, the selected
candidate will lead all development activities for the agency and
will work closely with the president and CEO and all boards to
Illinois Statistics: Income Tax - 3%
build solid programs in the philanthropic community.
See complete listing @ www.jewishb2bnetworking.com/jobs.
www.thejewishbusiness.com