During the Second Temple, the Greek empire reigned (over Israel),1 and they (the Greeks) passed decrees against the Jews and (tried) to erase their religion, and did not allow them to carry out Torah (study) or the commandments. They put their hands on their property and their daughters. They entered the Temple, destroyed and made the pure unclean. The Jews were in great distress because of them and were much oppressed, until the G-d of their fathers had mercy on them, delivering them from their hands and saving them. Then overcame, the sons of the Hasmonean High Priest, (the Greeks) and killed them and saved the Jews from their hands. They appointed a king from the Priests, and the kingdom of Israel was restored for more than 200 years until the destruction of (the) second (Temple). When the Jews overcame their enemies and destroyed them, it was the 25th of Kislev2 when they entered the Sanctuary (inner room) and did not find pure (olive) oil in the Temple, except one jar sealed with seal of the High Priest, and it did not contain enough to light except for one day only. But they lit from it the lamps of the Menorah3 for eight days, until they could crush olives and produce a (new quantity) of pure oil. For these reasons, decreed the Sages of that generation that these eight days that begin on the 25th Kislev, will be days of joy and praise. One lights on them lamps at evening at the entrance to the houses, every evening of the eight nights to show off and demonstrate the miracle. These days are called ''Hanukah'' that is to say ''they rested'' (chanu) on the ''25'' ('th of the month) because on the 25th they rested from their enemies. and also because of those days they (re)-dedicated the house (Temple) which their foes had defiled. Also some say that it is a commandment to increase slightly the festive meals on Hanukah. Another reason is because the work of (building) the Sanctuary (in the desert) was completed in these days. One should tell one's children the story of the miracles that were done for our fore-fathers in those days, (see Josephus) However, these meals are not considered as part of the commandment unless one says at the meal songs of praise. One should increase charity in these Hanukah days, for this can help mend any defects in our souls. This charity, should be given particularly to poor Torah scholars. (KSA 139:1)
1) 352 BCE until 70 CE
2) 139 BCE
3) The Menorah was made of gold and had seven branches.
Baltimore, MD – June 16, 2019 - It is with sadness that BaltimoreJewishLife.com informs the community of the petirah of Mr. Nemat (Meir) Delrahim, Z’L, husband of Mrs. Shoshana Delrahim, father of Gavriel Delrahim, Rafael Delrahim, Ronit Zaghi, and Rina Moinzadeh
The Levayah will take place today, Sunday, June 16, at 1:00 PM at Levinson’s.
Kevura will be at the Agudah Cemetery in Rosedale, MDShiva will be observed at 5921 Bland Ave, Baltimore, MD, 21215.The family appreciates the community honoring the requested visiting times of 7:00am-10am, and 6:30pm-9pmMinyanim:Shacharis: 7:00 AMMincha/Maariv: 7:45 PMBila HaMaves LaNetzach...
President Trump said former President Obama “had to know about” what he believes was a “setup” to prevent Trump from becoming president.
“There was no crime. There was no collusion. The big thing’s collusion,” Trump said to George Stephanopoulos on ABC’s “This Week.” “Now there’s no collusion. That means they set — it was a setup, in my opinion, and I think it’s gonna come out.”
“You clearly believe there was a group of people working against you,” Stephanopoulos said. “Do you think President Obama was behind it?”
“I would say that he certainly must have known about it because it went very high up in the chain, but you’re gonna find that out. I’m not gonna ...
President Trump ramped up his attacks against The New York Times, accusing the newspaper of committing “a virtual act of Treason” over its report about the U.S. increasing cyberattacks on Russia’s electric power grid.
“Do you believe that the Failing New York Times just did a story stating that the United States is substantially increasing Cyber Attacks on Russia,” Trump tweeted. “This is a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our Country.”
“Anything goes with our Corrupt News Media today,” he added. “They will do, or say, whatever it takes, with not even the slightest thought of consequence! These are true cowards and without doubt, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!”
Re...
Jackson, MI - A swastika has been found in a Jackson County cemetery where World War II soldiers are buried.
Jackson Mayor Derek Dobies has reported the vandalism at the Mount Evergreen Cemetery to the police department. Authorities believe it happened before the weekend, possibly early Friday morning.
City officials say about 120 WWII veterans are buried at the cemetery in Jackson.
The vandalism has upset members of the community.
Yasirah Nelson’s great grandfather is buried at the cemetery.
She says Nazis invaded his city in Germany, prompting him to flee to the U.S. and join the Army in 1941. She hopes the person responsible for the vandalism will learn more about WWII and its lasting impact.
BaltimoreJewishLife.com (BJL) is proud to partner with STAR-K CERTIFICATION that realizes that there is no substitute for a person’s own Rav. In an effort to offer a possible solution, it has launched its Institute of Halachah as a public service. Over the years, the agency’s Kashrus Hotline has answered generic halachic questions from kosher consumers the world over, including inquiries regarding the kosher status of foods and certified Sabbath mode appliances. The formation of a separate official division within STAR-K testifies to the need for addressing these issues.
The Institute of Halachah is directed by HaRav Mordechai Frankel, under the guidance of HaRav Moshe Heinemann, STAR-K’s Rabbinic Administrator. It is an invaluable resource for a diverse array of rabbis to discuss general halachic matters, as well as gain access to source materials for shiurim and answers to congregants’ questions.
Shailos for regular or Kashrus shailos may emailed or discussed using this widget.
Buenos Aires - The president of the Center for the Study of Energy Regulatory Activity in Argentina says that a massive blackout that left millions without electricity “has never happened” in the country.
Raúl Bertero is a professor at the University of Buenos Aires. He said Sunday that systemic operational and design errors played a role in the power grid’s collapse.
“A localized failure like the one that occurred should be isolated by the same system,” he said. “The problem is known and there is technology and studies that (work to) avoid it.”
He also said that independent experts should be asked to determine what happened.
The failure left many in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay without electricity for hours.
Baltimore, MD - June 16, 2019 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Chemi & Sara Leah Lefkovitz on the birth of a son.
Mazal Tov grandparents, Rabbi Yanky & Shana Lefkovitz and Great-Grandparents, Rabbi & Mrs. Yehuda Lefkovitz.
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן
President Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin this evening, Sunday 16 June / 13 Sivan, hosted the 25th Bible Study Group of the 929 initiative which offers a regular reading of the Bible from an Israeli social perspective, held in memory of Nechama Rivlin ז"ל , who was part of the initiative from its inception. The topic of this group was "the place of the Bible in Israeli society," based on reading 1 Samuel 7. Rabbi Benny Lau and Gal Gabai of 929, Dr. Micha Goodman, founder of Krembo Wings Adi Altschuler, members of the Rivlin family and the heads of 929 study groups from around the country took part in the event. Singer Yoni Rechter performed three of his songs.
"The last few days have been the most difficult ones I have experienced, and we have experienced as a family," the...
In her first Sunday morning show appearance since taking office in January, New York Democrat Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez warned that there is "very real risk" President Trump will win re-election in 2020, and acknowledged that progressive frustration with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is also "quite real."
The comments struck an unusually defensive tone for the 29-year-old progressive firebrand, as Democrats seek to winnow their large list of 23 presidential contenders. Ocasio-Cortez also spoke bluntly on her initiative to repeal the Hyde Amendment, which bars most federal funding for abortion -- and 2020 Democrat frontrunner Joe Biden's abrupt reversal on the issue earlier this month.
"I think that we have a very real risk of losing the presidency...
Argentina - A massive blackout left more than 44 million people without electricity in Argentina and Uruguay on Sunday after an unexplained failure in the neighboring countries’ interconnected power grid. Authorities were working frantically to restore power but only about a half a million in Argentina had electricity back by early afternoon.
Voters cast ballots by the light of cell phones in gubernatorial elections in Argentina. Public transportation halted, shops closed and patients dependent on home medical equipment were urged to go to hospitals with generators.
“I was just on my way to eat with a friend, but we had to cancel everything. There’s no subway, nothing is working,” said Lucas Acosta, a 24-year-old Buenos Aires resident. “What’s wo...
Sullivan County, NY - The battle to contain the worst U.S. measles outbreak in 27 years has a new front: summer camp.
Vaccinations have been made mandatory this summer for campers and staff in several counties north of New York City that annually fill up with kids from the Orthodox Jewish communities that have been hit hardest by measles.
Ulster County took the extra step of mandating the measles vaccine or proof of immunity at all day camps and overnight camps, becoming the latest county in the area to issue immunization requirements. Rockland County announced a similar order this month, following mandates from Sullivan and Orange counties.
“We have to make sure our t’s are crossed and our i’s are dotted in making sure all these vaccination records are in and ha...
Washington (AFP) - A nationwide Fox News poll released Sunday shows President Donald Trump trailing former vice president Joe Biden and no fewer than four other Democratic contenders as early campaigning for the 2020 election begins to gain steam.
A separate survey of battleground states, by CBS, shows Democrats strongly favor Biden as the candidate most likely to beat Trump in next year's elections.
The Fox poll showed Biden leading Trump by 49 percent to 39 percent among all registered voters nationwide, while Senator Bernie Sanders held nearly the same advantage over the president, at 49 percent to 40 percent.
Holding edges of 1 or 2 points over Trump -- albeit within the poll's 3-point margin of error -- were Senators Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris, as well as Mayor Pe...
Baltimore, MD - June 15 - On June 3-4th, TA was alive with NEXT LEVEL excitement, as they aimed to reach a $1 million goal in 36 hours. All donations were quadrupled thanks to generous matchers! The TA Mesivta Dining Room was filled with dozens of volunteers, callers and students throughout the 2 days, making phone calls, texting, emailing and networking for the benefit of the yeshiva. B”H we reached the $1 million goal and surpassed it in the bonus round! Thank you to all of our hardworking staff, volunteers and students who worked hard to make this campaign an amazing success!
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Jerusalem - He actively demonstrated against the State of Israel as a child, burning Israeli flags and criticizing the IDF, but today Zalman Schwartz is a 22 year old member of the Israel Border Police who has successfully foiled a terror attack.
In an interview with Yediot Aharonot (http://bit.ly/2KlUk3c), the 22 year old Schwartz said that he grew up in Monsey as a member of the Neturei Karta community. He and his friends were educated to be anti-Israel, and told that it was forbidden to Jews to live in Israel or for the IDF to even exist.
While Schwartz said that he had a happy childhood, he felt that like a stranger in his own community. By age 14 he took his first steps towards the outside world, eventually abandoning his religiosity as well. Five years later, Schw...
Washington - It was the escalator ride that would change history.
Four years ago on Sunday, Donald Trump descended through the pink marble and brass atrium of Trump Tower to announce his candidacy for president , the first step on a journey few believed would take him all the way to the White House.
It turns out the 2015 event might not have happened, at least not on June 16. And the over-the-top staging that featured a crowd including paid actors could have been even more theatrical if one early idea hadn’t been scrapped.
(Trump nixed suggestions to feature a live elephant. “Too political,” he decided.)
Now, the president who loves to reminisce about that “famous” Trump Tower moment is trying to recreate the magic as he formally launches his re-elec...
Hamas has arrested those responsible for the rocket fired into Israel on Thursday that struck a building in Sderot, sources in Gaza told i24NEWS Sunday.
The detainees were said to be residents of Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip and members of the Fatah-affiliated al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades.
The arrests came after Gazan factions rejected responsibility for the attack on Saturday.
Read more at i24NEWS.
Less than three months after US President Donald Trump recognized Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, the cabinet on Sunday started the bureaucratic ball moving toward establishing a new community on the Golan Heights called Ramat Trump (Trump Heights).Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who pushed to name a settlement in the area after Trump in appreciation of his recognition of Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan, as well as moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem and his strong support for Israel, unveiled the sign “Ramat Trump” on a plot of synthetic grass near the existing community of Kela.
US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman [L] his wife Tammy Deborah Sand, Sara Netanyahu, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu [R] near the sign of Trump Heights in th...
At a festive meeting on the Golan Heights, the Government, today (Sunday, 16 June 2019), approved the establishment of a new community on the Golan Heights, to be named "Trump Heights" (Ramat Trump), after US President Donald Trump. US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman also attended the meeting.
Following the meeting a ceremony was held to unveil the sign for the new community with the participation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Government ministers.
Prime Minister Netanyahu at the start of the festive Cabinet meeting:
"This is an historic day for us. We are going to do two things: Establish a new community on the Golan Heights, something which has not been done for many years. This is an act of settlement and of Zionism of the first order. The second thing is to honor ...
President Rivlin:
"Moderation – religious, nationalist and cultural – are the true way to reach the hearts of people. That is the right way to live."
Imam Chalgoumi:
"Religion itself is not the problem, rather political Islam that tries to create conflict between Jews and Muslims. States such as Iran, Qatar and Turkey who fund hatred through Hamas and Hizbollah. This is not religion; this is political Islam which we must fight against."
President Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin today, Sunday 16 June / 13 Sivan, welcomed a delegation of the leadership of the Conférence des imams de France (the Conference of Imams in France) and of social activists from the Muslim communities in France and Belgium. The delegation is visiting Israel at the initiative of ELNET to learn abou...