A top House Republican has demanded details on the use of private emails by some of President Donald Trump’s closest advisers. Rep. Trey Gowdy, a South Carolina conservative who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, and the top Democrat on that panel, Rep. Elijah Cummings, cite a recent Politico report that Jared Kushner set up a private email account after the election to conduct work-related business. The New York Times reports that at least six of Trump’s closest advisers, including Kushner, Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus, used private email to discuss White House matters. Bannon and Priebus no longer work at the White House. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump repeatedly attacked Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton for setting up a p...
Thanks to colossal efforts by NYS Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) and NYS Senator Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn), legislation was passed that rescued Yeshiva Shaare Torah from crippling debt. Today, the Karlsburger Rav, Rabbi Yechezkel Roth, publicly thanked Hikind and Felder for their years of hard work on behalf of the yeshiva and the many families that it serves. As soon as he became aware that Shaare Torah was facing insurmountable property tax issues, which he believed they should be exempt from, Assemblyman Hikind began seeking a solution for the yeshiva. After carefully analyzing the situation, Hikind sponsored a bill to authorize the yeshiva to file for an application for exemption from real property taxes for certain assessment rolls. Hikind’s bill essentially allowed New Y...
Top White House and GOP leaders have agreed to raise the lowest individual tax rate from 10 to 12 percent, paired with doubling the standard deduction, 5 senior Republicans tell us. Why this matters: Trump intends to sell the proposal tomorrow as a populist "tax cut." But as recently as yesterday top Republicans on Capitol Hill were nervous as they got word that Trump wasn't entirely thrilled with the product that had been hashed out in immense secrecy for weeks (with two members of his administration, Gary Cohn and Steven Mnuchin, working with GOP leaders.) Late last night Republicans close to the process felt more confident that Trump had come around to supporting the framework — despite his misgivings about the corporate rate not being low enough and about the ...
Republicans made the decision after it was clear their latest plan would fail. The Senate will not vote on Republicans' latest bill to repeal Obamacare this week, putting an end to their seven-year push for now. The decision was reached at a party lunch Tuesday after it became clear the plan would fail, GOP senators said. Three Senate Republicans had already said they would vote against the measure, and the GOP could only afford two defections. "Why have a vote if you know what the outcome is and it's not what you want. I don't know what you gain from that. But I do believe that the health care issue is not dead, and that's what counts," said GOP Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama. "We've got some time this year to deal with it and I think we have to." Vice Preside...
Saudi women will soon be allowed to drive, removing one barrier to equality in a kingdom often criticized for its stance on human rights. King Salman issued the order on Tuesday, according to news network Al-Arabiya. It was not immediately clear when the new drivers licenses would be available to half of the country’s population, who continue to face strict rules including the necessity of a male chaperone when they leave the house. Women in the Middle Eastern country have taken to the streets, in cars, in protest of the policy in recent years.
The United States and the United Nations quickly condemned Tuesday’s terrorist attack in Har Adar, and called for a condemnation of terrorism. The short statement by the UN special envoy twice made note that the attack took place in a “settlement.”“I condemn this morning’s shooting attack by a Palestinian perpetrator in the Har Adar settlement in which one Israeli policeman and two security guards were killed, and another was seriously injured,” read the statement issued by UN special envoy Nickolay Mladenov just four hours after the attack – the first international condemnation issued.Share on facebookShare on twitter It is deplorable that Hamas and others continue to glorify such attacks, which undermine the possibility of a peace...
Baltimore, MD – Sept. 26, 2017 - It is with sorrow that BaltimoreJewishLife.com informs the community of the petirah of Muriel Stern, z"l,  sister of Mrs. Devorah Gardner. Mrs. Gardner is sitting shiva at her home at  Windsor House 6503 Park Heights Ave. Apt. 2-J Baltimore, MD 21215 on Tuesday and Wednesday from 12-2 pm and 7-9 pm Thursday from 7-9 pm and Friday 12-2 pm.
U.S. officials say Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is to meet with Cuba’s foreign minister amid an ongoing probe into mysterious “attacks” on American diplomats in Havana. Tuesday’s meeting will also follow a speech the foreign minister delivered at the United Nations last week in which he harshly criticized President Donald Trump and his administration’s policy toward the communist island. At least 21 U.S. diplomats have suffered physical symptoms, including brain damage and hearing loss, since late last year as a result of what Tillerson has described as “health attacks.” U.S. officials believe that the attacks may have been carried out with some sort of sonic device but have been unable to determine the cause or who is behind them. Cuba...
Question #1: Comfort “How do I wash my hands when I finish using the comfort facilities on Yom Kippur?”   Question #2: Knuckle down “Why do we wash negel vasser only until our knuckles on Yom Kippur, but until the wrist every other morning?”   Question #3: Bride “May a woman who married during Elul wash her hands and face on Yom Kippur?”   Introduction: As we all know, one of the mitzvos of the Torah is that we should afflict ourselves on Yom Kippur. Although this mitzvah is observed primarily by refraining from eating and drinking, the Mishnah teaches that it also includes abstaining from washing, wearing shoes and certain other pleasurable activities (Yoma 73b). The Gemara (77b) explicitly states that this includes washing even...
A federal appeals panel on Tuesday overturned the 2015 corruption convictions of Dean G. Skelos, once the powerful majority leader of the New York State Senate, and his son, Adam B. Skelos, citing a decision last year of the United States Supreme Court that narrowed the legal definition of corruption. The ruling comes roughly two and a half months after another appellate panel cited the same Supreme Court decision to vacate the conviction of Sheldon Silver, the former longtime Democratic speaker of the State Assembly. Mr. Skelos and Mr. Silver both forfeited their seats upon their convictions.   READ MORE: NY TIMES
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 20, 2017 - Baltimore community members Rabbi Dr. Moshe Lasson and Rabbi Yossie Ryback are in need of a kidney and they are reaching out to our community for help. On Tuesday evening, September 26 at 8:00 P.M. Bikur Cholim and Renewal will host a Kidney Donation Awareness Event at Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion.  This event is free and open to the entire community.  Many of us know someone who has successfully received a kidney transplant and may have wondered what is involved in becoming a donor.  During Tuesday’s event this topic will be discussed.  Representatives of Renewal will familiarize the community about kidney disease and all that is involved in being tested as a potential donor. Renewal is a nonprofit organization dedicated t...
West Bank - 37-year-old Nimer Mahmoud Ahmad Jamal, who shot dead three Israeli security men outside of the Har Adar settlement near Jerusalem on Tuesday, had familial problems and was left by his wife weeks ago, according to the Shin Bet. “An initial investigation into the attack indicated that the assailant had personal and familial problems including those related to domestic violence,” the Shin Bet said in a statement. “It was also discovered that the assailant’s wife fled to Jordan a number of weeks ago and left him with their children.” Jamal, a resident of Beit Surik, was the father of four children and had a permit to work in settlements in the West Bank. According to Channel 2, he was fired from his job in Har Adar four years ago. In a farewell mess...
UPDATED as of Sept 26, 2017 - Mrs. Dorothy Allen is sitting shiva at Morgenstern home Chazon Ish 38, Apt 3 Ramat Shlomo beginning 9:00 AM. Please, no visitors between 2PM-4PM and then continuing until 9 PM. Shiva is until afternoon of Erev Yom Kippur. ### Baltimore, MD – Sept. 20, 2017 - It is with deep regret and sorrow that BaltimoreJewishLife.com informs the community of the petirah of Reb Simcha Allen, a’h, husband of Mrs. Dorothy Allen, father of Yisroel Aaron, Yosef Leib,  Liba Malka,  Binyomin Yitzchak and brother of Shimon Allen and Shana Viner There will be a hesped outside of Sol Levinson at 11:30. The niftar will be taken afterward to NY and then flown to Eretz Yisrael on Motzei Shabbos. Mrs. Allen and daughter will be in NY for yom tov and will sit shi...
Jerusalem - The police officer and two security personnel murdered by an Arab terrorist in Har Adar Tuesday morning have been identified as Border Police Officer St. Sgt. Solomon Gabaria, 20 of Beer Yaakov; Yossef Otman, of Abu Gosh; and Or Arish, 25, of Har Adar. While details about the lives of the two security guards remain unclear, according to police, Gabaria enlisted in the Border Police 18 months ago, and was seriously wounded in a Jerusalem terrorist attack six months later. Despite his injuries, Gabaria insisted on returning to duty two months later. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Gabaria saved a number of lives by promptly responding to the terrorist’s gunfire, and was posthumously promoted to staff sergeant. Gabaria is survived by his parents and three siblings....
New York -- Credit reporting agency Equifax is ousting CEO Richard Smith in an effort to clean up the mess left by a damaging data breach that exposed highly sensitive information about 143 million Americans. The shake-up announced Tuesday comes after Equifax disclosed that hackers exploited a software flaw that the company didn't fix to heist Social Security numbers, birthdates and other personal data that provide the keys to identify theft.Smith had been Equifax's CEO since 2005. Paulino do Rego Barros Jr. was named interim CEO.Although many analysts had applauded Equifax's performance under Smith, he and the rest of his management team had come under fire for lax security and its response to the breach.Smith's departure follows the abrupt retirement of Equifax'...
According to a Channel 2 News report, there are many unlicensed Arabs working in the healthcare field in eastern Jerusalem, including some employed as physicians in the nation’s kupot cholim; including Meuchedet, Maccabi, Clalit and Leumit. According to the report, the clinics are not operated by the kupot cholim but are franchisees. Shockingly, the report states some of the ‘doctors’ employed in these clinics are actually truck drivers and taxi drivers and not licensed physicians as patients believe to be the case. To verify the acts, an undercover reporter who has no medical training was hired in the various clinics. A doctor is quoted telling Channel 2 that there are many unlicensed medical professionals at the clinics, including doctors or x-ray technicians, s...
Three border policemen were killed in a Tuesday morning, 6 Tishrei 5778 terrorist attack at Har Adar. The attack occurred close to 7:00AM at a rear entrance to the community, which is located near Abu Ghosh and the Green Line on Road 425, approximately 15 kilometers west of Jerusalem. A male in his 30s was seriously wounded and was transported to the trauma unit of Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem. Magen David Adom paramedics and EMTS operated on the scene to treat the wounded as did United Hatzalah personnel. Moshir Abu Katish, a Muslim volunteer EMT with United Hatzalah who lives in the neighboring Arab-Israeli town of Abu Gosh, was one of the first responders on the scene. Katish spoke about what he saw when he arrived at the location of the attack. “I was alerted to t...
Amid rumors that construction work is planned to continue on the Tel Aviv light rail on Yom Kippur, officials in Bnei Brak City Hall called the rumors “shocking”, adding the will turn to the courts to enforce the agreement between the Bnei Brak and the government promising there would not be work done on the light rail on Shabbos and Yomim Tovim. Bnei Brak Mayor Chanoch Zeibert explained for the time being the reports are nothing more than rumors, and the city remains confident that they are not backed in reality. Zeibert points out that paragraph 13 of the agreement clearly stipulates there will not be chilul Shabbos or Yom Tov in Bnei Brak, including construction work pertaining to the building of the light rail service in the city. The mayor added he does n...
Margarita Aponte and her relatives cleared the road in front of her house with two oxen, then drove an hour from her devastated hometown in central Puerto Rico to the old telegraph building in the capital of San Juan. There, thousands of Puerto Ricans gathered for a chance at a resource nearly as precious as power and water in the wake of Hurricane Maria — communication. “It’s ringing, it’s ringing, it’s ringing!” Aponte, a janitor, screamed as her phone connected to free Wi-Fi and her Facetime call went through to the mainland on Sunday. Her eyes filled with tears as she talked with nephews, uncles, brothers and sisters in Florida and Massachusetts for the first time since Maria destroyed nearly every cellphone and fiber optic connection on thi...
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