To the surprise of Tax Authority Inspectors visiting shuls in Tel Aviv, they found hundreds of envelopes containing cash donations, checks and foreign currently amounting to NIS 121,000. The cash was not recorded as required by law, and the last receipt written was dated in October 2018. The secretary responsible for the NGO told inspectors, “We sit and meet when time permits and then write receipts”.

This visit, along with others, were part of forty business reviews conducted by the Tel Aviv Taxation Office. The results of the operation show that 18% of the businesses surveyed did not record income as required by law.

The Tax Authority spokesperson said that the audit activity was conducted as part of the Tax Authority’s extensive activity against tax evaders and black capital. This is part of the policy of increasing enforcement activity to improve and maintain deterrence, expanding intelligence, among other things by carrying out field operations aimed at reporting truth and collecting real tax, thus increasing the level of equality among citizens.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)