Car Free Day is today, September 22!
Marylanders can ride MTA Local Bus, Light Rail, Metro Subway, MARC, Commuter Bus and Mobility for free all day.
Leave the car home and take advantage of free public transportation across Maryland today!
A shooting outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, during Yom Kippur left a police officer seriously wounded and the gunman critically injured.
Synagogue president Norman Weddum said he was guiding congregants into the sanctuary Sunday evening when he heard gunshots. The officer, who had been stationed outside in an unmarked vehicle, came under fire as worshippers were arriving. Weddum said congregants were rushed back inside, the doors were closed and people were told to get on the floor. Thank G-d, no one inside the synagogue was injured.
Ontario’s Special Investigations Unit said preliminary evidence shows Sean Ward, 29, arrived in a truck around 7 p.m. and opened fire on the officer. The officer returned fire before a second officer arrived and also fired. U...
Netanel Shukrun, a father of six from Alei Zahav, was laid to rest Monday night after being killed in a terror shooting at a natural spring near Neve Tzuf on the eve of Yom Kippur.
Shukrun had gone to the spring with his eldest son, 16-year-old Yoav, to immerse before Yom Kippur. A gunman opened fire from a vehicle, striking Shukrun while he was inside his car. The attacker fled on foot, was wounded by an IDF tracker and was later captured at a hospital near Ramallah by Duvdevan commandos. Shukrun was taken to Beilinson Hospital in serious condition but later died from his wounds.
Hundreds attended the funeral in Alei Zahav, where Shukrun was remembered as a kind and humble man devoted to his family.
His widow, Meirav, said that at the last moment, he warned Yoav abou...
Baltimore, MD – September 20, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Kalman and Elisheva Danziger on the birth of a baby girl.
!יה"ר שיזכו לגדלה לתורה לחופה ולמעשים טובים. אמן
On Rosh Hashana we recite chapter 27 from Tehillim seven times prior to the blowing of the Shofar.
We pray that 'He [G-d] will choose for us our heritage, the גאון יעקב — pride of Yaakov that He loves forever.'
What exactly is the 'pride' of Yaakov?
The root word of גאון is גאה to literally 'tower over' others, in this context with greatness.
It is used in the circumstance of G-d as when He split the sea we sang how, גאֺה גאָה — He triumphed over the proud.
Pride is synonymous with כבוד — honor.
The word גאוה can also have a negative connotation of arrogance.
G-d created a world where man must exercise his godly talent of free-will. Man must discern between good...
Yom Kippur is the holiest day of the year. On this day, Hashem forgives our sins. We are commanded to do teshuvah on Yom Kippur, and we spend the day deeply focused on teshuvah and tefillah.
Rav Yisrael Salanter observed that when someone is intensely involved in one mitzvah, he might overlook another. Sometimes, people who are deeply absorbed in mitzvos between themselves and Hashem may neglect those between themselves and others. Rav Yisrael would say that every section of the Shulchan Aruch has its own mazal. Unfortunately, the mazal of Choshen Mishpat—the section that addresses interpersonal law—is that it is not observed as meticulously as the other parts of the Shulchan Aruch. He would also quip, “My Choshen Mishpat is longer than that of other people”. In ...
Nearly three years after the October 7 attack, a wedding was held Thursday at Kibbutz Kerem Shalom for the first time since the community was evacuated following the attack.
Sivan, who was raised in Kerem Shalom, and her partner, Meir, chose to hold their wedding at the kibbutz swimming pool near the Gaza border, surrounded by family, friends and community residents.
The wedding marked the first large-scale celebration at the kibbutz since October 7. Some residents who attended have only recently returned to live in Kerem Shalom after spending an extended period away from their homes.
The couple specifically chose to marry in the community where Sivan grew up, turning the celebration into a meaningful occasion for residents as the kibbutz continues rebuilding and returning to normal lif...
President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is approaching a major decision over whether to resume large-scale military action against Iran. “I have a big decision coming up. Do I want to go in and annihilate them or do I not? It’s a big decision. Anything could happen with me,” Trump told Axios. His comments came ahead of a planned Tuesday meeting in New York with leaders or foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman, where he wants to hear directly from regional allies about the conflict and its next steps. The U.S. military has been ordered to maintain its current force levels in the Middle East through the end of the year, remaining prepared for a possible return to full-scale combat. Trump also indicated that Iran ...
Amichai Atia, 17, from the northern West Bank settlement of Itamar, was killed early Friday morning after being struck by a vehicle in a Hadera shopping mall parking lot following an apparent confrontation.
Atia had just attended a late-night Selichot service with fellow students from Hitzim Yeshiva when the incident occurred. Police said the confrontation escalated, resulting in Atia being fatally struck by the vehicle.
The driver, a 21-year-old from Kafr Manda, was subsequently shot and lightly injured. According to Ynet, a 23-year-old friend of Atia was suspected of firing the shots.
Magen David Adom paramedics attempted to resuscitate Atia and transported him to Hillel Yaffe Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Police are investigating the incident as a criminal matter and...
Baltimore, MD – September 18, 2026 - Students at Lev HaTorah Academy participated in Kapparos this week, providing them with a meaningful and memorable experience as Yom Kippur approaches.
The special program gave the children an opportunity to participate firsthand in this time-honored minhag while learning about its meaning and significance. More than simply experiencing Kapparos, the students were able to connect what they have been learning in the classroom with the preparations for the Yamim Noraim.
The experience was filled with learning and excitement, creating a beautiful chinuch opportunity and another memorable way for Lev HaTorah Academy students to prepare for Yom Kippur.
Two weeks ago we read: "And it will be, when all these things come upon you the blessing and the curse which I have set before you והשבות — that you will consider בלבבך — in your heart, among all the nations where the Lord your G-d has banished you, ושבת — and you will return to the Lord, your G-d, with all your heart and with all your soul, and you will listen to His voice according to all that I am commanding you this day you and your children how after G-d dispersed us among the nations…"
After this stage of repentance that was compelled by the circumstances in exile, the Torah describes how, "The Lord, your G-d, will bring back your exiles, and He will have mercy upon you. He will once again gather you from all the nations, where the Lord,...
Baltimore, MD – September 17, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Yehuda and Miriam Schwartz on the birth of a baby boy.
Mazel Tov to the grandparents Rabbi Dovid and Mrs. Shani Schwartz and to the great-grandmother Mrs. Elaine Brown.
!יה"ר שיזכו לגדלו לתורה לחופה ולמעשים טובים. אמן
Baltimore, MD – September 17, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Yisroel Katz on his engagement to Yehudis Matzliach (Chicago).
Mazel Tov to the parents Menachem and Brocha Katz.
!יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן
After learning in Yeshiva full time for five years after High School, I was fortunate to be able to learn half days, several days a week when I was first married and a student. This was a significant help in bridging the time when I was learning in Yeshiva and constantly in that Seviva to when I was “in the world”, particularly around the time of the Yomim Noraaim. In Yeshiva we were used to truly having the entire Chodesh Elul to prepare for Rosh Hashana – with more intensified learning and studying Musar to help us achieve the proper frame of mind and lay the groundwork for proper Tefila and Teshuva.
Two years after I was married and I accepted a full time job, I remember the shock of “running into Rosh Hashana”. As a new emp...
