Dallas, TX -  More than 30 people who attended an event with motivational speaker Tony Robbins have been treated for burns after Robbins encouraged them to walk on hot coals as a way of conquering their fears, Dallas fire officials said. Five people were taken to a hospital Thursday night, while the rest were treated at the scene for burns to their feet and lower extremities, Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesman Jason Evans said. The hot coals were spread outside the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center as part of a four-day Robbins seminar called “Unleash the Power Within.” It’s a regular part of some of Robbins’ seminars; more than 20 people were treated for foot burns after an event in 2012 in San Jose, California. Paul Gold of West Palm Beach, Florida...
Adamstown, PA - A 91-year-old Pennsylvania man who has for years lectured to school groups and others about what he said were his experiences at Auschwitz now says he was never a prisoner at the German death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. Joseph Hirt, of Adamstown, made the admission in a letter to LNP newspaper (http://bit.ly/28XFmgJ ) Wednesday. He said he used poor judgment and faulty reasoning in trying to tell the story of those affected by the Nazis. “I am writing today to apologize publicly for harm caused to anyone because of my inserting myself into the descriptions of life in Auschwitz,” Hirt wrote. “I was not a prisoner there. I did not intend to lessen or overshadow the events which truly happened there by falsely claiming to have been personally in...
Washington - Hillary Clinton’s campaign is calling Donald Trump’s reaction to Britain’s vote to leave the European Union “dangerous and frightening.” Trump, say her aides, reacted with “pathological self-congratulations,” a lack of understanding about the situation and a focus on his own businesses rather than the economic impact on American families. Trump “actively rooted” for the United Kingdom to leave the EU and is “rooting for the economic turmoil in its wake,” Clinton adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters. Trump, in a news conference in Scotland, praised the vote results and drew parallels to the populist anger driving his own presidential campaign. Clinton’s team argues that the economic downturn li...
A day after flirting with record levels, U.S equity markets on Friday extended a global-market meltdown after the United Kingdom, in a stunning decision, voted to sever its more than 40-year membership in the European Union. At the closing bell, the Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 610 points, or 3.39% to 17400. The S&P 500 dropped 76 points, or 3.60% to 2037, while the Nasdaq Composite shed 202 points, or 4.12% to 4707. The major averages ended just off the lows of the session. During the final hour of trade, the Dow fell 647 points. To illustrate the rush on Wall Street, the Vix, which measures expected volatility over the next 30 days, jumped 44% during the session to 24.92. “We expect the next several days to be as turbulent as other major market shocks of the...
Growing up in the Viznitz community in Montreal, Etty Sims had little exposure to life outside of her close-knit Hassidic sect. In this world, the highest career aspiration for girls was to teach preschool. So even when she became captivated by the fast-paced rhythm of hospitals and the life-saving work of medical clinicians as a teenager, Sims simply didn’t allow herself to dream of becoming a doctor. “Where I grew up, anything outside that community wasn’t even a discussion,” explained Sims, 29, who graduated from Cooper Medical School of Rowan University last month as part of the Camden-based school’s 43-member inaugural class. “I can’t even say college was discouraged. It just wasn’t a possibility.” With a f...
The Torah recounts that as B'nei Yisrael brought what would be their only Korban Pesach during their sojourn in the desert, there were individuals who were temei meis and thus unable to participate. There is a discussion in the gemara (Sukkah 25a) as to who in fact these individuals were. R' Yosei HaGelili suggests they were the ones in charge of transporting the body of Yoseif. Rabbi Akiva is of the opinion that it was Misha'eil and Eltzaphan who were instructed to remove Nadav and Avihu's bodies from the mishkan. Finally, Rabbi Yitzchak discounts the first two opinions and posits that these were individuals who had become tamei as a result of a meis mitzvah. It is somewhat intriguing that the approach taken in the gemara is that there was something special and unique...
Hezbollah leader admits his group lost fighters in Syria, but vows to continue to be involved in the war there. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah acknowledged on Friday that his group had lost fighters in Syria, but vowed to continue to be involved in the war there. Speaking in remarks broadcast on the Shiite group's Al-Manar television and quoted by AFP, Nasrallah said that the offensive on the city of Aleppo was the "greatest battle" in Syria. He stressed his group would "increase our presence in Aleppo... because the real, strategic, greatest battle is in Aleppo and the surrounding area." Nasrallah also announced that 26 Hezbollah fighters had been killed in the offensive this month, a rare admission of casualties for the group. He spoke at a commemoration event for Must...
Prime Minister Netanyahu reacts to British Prime Minister's resignation announcement, thanks him for his friendship with Israel. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Friday thanked British Prime Minister David Cameron for his friendship with Israel, following Cameron’s announcement that he would step down in the wake of Britain’s vote in favor of leaving the European Union. “I have great appreciation for Prime Minister David Cameron, a respected leader and a true friend of Israel and the Jewish people,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “Throughout his premiership the security, economic and technological cooperation between the United Kingdom and Israel has greatly expanded,” added Netanyahu. “Together we laid a strong foundation for con...
 The Rabbinical Council of America, the leading organization of orthodox rabbis in North America, appreciates and supports the efforts of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel to reverse the decision of the local Bet Din of Petach Tikvah which refused to accept its recommendation to recognize the validity of the conversion to Judaism of an applicant for marriage arranged by our colleague Rabbi Haskel Lookstein.  Rabbi Shalom Baum, president of the RCA, said, "We regret the angst caused to this righteous convert, as well as the vulnerability felt by many righteous converts who feel that their legitimate status as Jews remains always subject to scrutiny. We call upon the Chief Rabbinate and the Israeli Religious Courts to ensure that in the future such applicants are treated with the dign...
The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Speak to Aaron and say to him: "When you light the lamps, the seven lamps shall cast their light toward the face of the menorah (Vayikra 8:1-2)" Nothing is random.  As such, Rashi asks, “Why does the Torah juxtapose the section of the offerings of the Tribal Princes to the commandment to kindle the Menorah?”  Rashi explains that Aharon was despondent that neither he nor his tribe was represented in the dedication offerings (at the end of last week’s Parsha).  God tells Aharon, “Do not despair; your lot is greater than theirs for I have given you (and your descendants) the mitzvah to kindle the Menorah.”  Aharon’s sadness was understandable.  The entire nation, each and every tribe was participati...
Banning Muslims isn’t an answer What does the word “magazine” bring to mind? A glossy periodical or, perhaps, a news program? To many Americans, the word would more readily conjure a metal receptacle holding up to 30 or more bullets, inserted into a semi-automatic weapon. The sort favored by soldiers on battlefields. And people intent on killing as many civilians as possible at, say, a school, military base, office party, church or club. The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which provides American citizens a right to own lethal weapons, was, in my opinion, a bad idea. Had I been a Founding Father (instead of a Fumbling Grandfather — though I much prefer my current role), I would have opposed it. And were there a current effort to repeal it, I&r...
London -  Britons have voted to leave the European Union, a decision which leaves the world’s fifth-biggest economy facing deep uncertainty about its growth prospects and its attractiveness to investors, and which could hurt other economies in Europe and beyond. The vote is expected to deliver at least a short-term hit to growth in Britain and might push it into recession. It could prompt the Bank of England to cut interest rates to zero and test the willingness of creditors to keep on funding Britain’s current account deficit. Further ahead, the implications of the vote will depend on what kind of trading relationship Britain can strike with the EU, which accounts for nearly half the country’s exports. Below is a summary of the economic implications of th...
Washington - The United States respects the decision of the people of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, President Barack Obama said Friday, insisting that the special relationship between Washington and London will endure. In his first public reaction to the vote, Obama said the people of the U.K. had spoken. Obama had strongly urged that the UK remain in the EU, and the decision is a significant blow to his efforts to counter the isolationist viewpoints taking hold in many parts of the world. “The United Kingdom and the European Uniion will remain indispensable partners of the United States even as they begin negotiating their ongoing relationship to ensure continued stability, security, and prosperity for Europe, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the ...
New York -  Bernie Sanders told a roaring crowd of supporters Thursday that his campaign is “just getting started” fighting economic inequality, changing the Democratic Party and bolstering Democrats running for Congress. Speaking to a packed hall in Manhattan, Sanders took something of a victory lap as he reviewed the states he won and the fact that many young people flocked to his campaign over presumptive Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s. “Our goal from day one has been to transform this nation and that is the fight we are going to continue,” Sanders, his voice hoarse, told supporters who packed venue called The Town Hall near Times Square. “What started last year as a radical idea? Nobody thinks it’s radical anymore.&rdqu...
 Baltimore, MD  Daily Dvar Halacha -  June 24, 2016 /  18 Sivan 5776 - According to the Talmud Don't Drink This Way!
Jerusalem - Israel’s army says troops have shot and killed a Palestinian woman after she purposely rammed her vehicle into an Israeli car, injuring two people in the West Bank. The military says the woman “accelerated and crashed into a stationary vehicle” at the entrance to the settlement of Kiryat Arba. Forces opened fire and killed her. The two injured Israeli civilians were taken to hospital. Friday’s incident is the latest in nine months of dozens of Palestinian attacks, including stabbings, shootings and assaults using cars. The attacks have killed 32 Israelis and two Americans. About 200 Palestinians have been killed during that time, most of them described by Israel as attackers. The rest died in clashes. The assaults were once near-daily incide...
Pledges to Dedicate $3 Million in Proceeds from His Award to Programs for Persons with Disabilities and Music Education Jerusalem, June 23, 2016 – Tonight at the gala ceremony held at the Jerusalem Theater, Israel’s Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu presented the 2016 Genesis Prize to the world’s preeminent violinist, teacher and advocate for people with disabilities Itzhak Perlman. Over 500 Israeli and international dignitaries attended the ceremony, which was emceed by the prominent British actress Dame Helen Mirren.  Perlman also received congratulatory messages from US President Barak Obama and Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.  The Genesis Prize honors exceptional individuals who have attained excellence in their professional field, have m...
Washington - Former Secretary Hillary Clinton failed to turn over a copy of a key message involving problems caused by her use of a private homebrew email server, the State Department confirmed Thursday. The disclosure makes it unclear what other work-related emails may have been deleted by the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. The email was included within messages exchanged Nov. 13, 2010, between Clinton and one of her closest aides, Deputy Chief of Staff Huma Abedin. At the time, emails sent from Clinton’s BlackBerry device and routed through her private clintonemail.com server in the basement of her New York home were being blocked by the State Department’s spam filter. A suggested remedy was for Clinton to obtain a state.gov email account. “Let...
New York - U.S. stock index futures dipped sharply lower Thursday evening ET as results from the British referendum continued to roll in. Dow Jones futures briefly saw an implied open down more than 400 points. After paring those losses briefly, futures then broke below an implied open down 600 around 11:50 p.m. ET (4:50 a.m. London time). The FTSE futures also extended their losses, pointing to a roughly 6 percent fall at the U.K. stock market open.
Turnberry, Scotland - Donald Trump, in a visit to Scotland on Friday, hailed Britain’s vote to leave the European Union, drawing parallels to the anger driving his own presidential campaign. “I love to see people take their country back,” he told reporters at a news conference at one of his golf courses in Scotland. “And that’s really what’s happening in the United States” and other parts of the world. The campaign leading to Thursday’s stunning vote for Britain to leave the European Union shared some of the populist themes driving the Trump campaign, including a wariness of immigration, concern about borders and skepticism of the value of multinational organizations. “People want to see borders. They don’t necessarily ...
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