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Baltimore, MD – Nov. 4, 2017 - Great sadness has descended on the Baltimore community with the passing of Rabbi Mendel Freedman on Shabbos morning, Parshas Vayaera.
Rabbi Freedman was one of the pillars of the Baltimore Jewish community for the past decades. He served for close to forty years as the Principal of Bais Yaakov of Baltimore. He was an extraordinary mechanech, and thousands of bnos Yisrael were educated under his supervision. He became principal in 1979 when Bais Yaakov had but a few hundred girls, and at the time of his death, the school has burgeoned to over 1700 students. He famously ensured that he knew every student’s name, and took a personal interest in every single one of them.
Rabbi Freedman was particularly dedicated to students with special needs. Many...
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Please read… I’m writing these words with tears in my eyes.
My little son, Dudi, only two years old, is fighting a severe illness—leukemia. We are doing everything in our power to save him, but we need your help.
There’s a series of surgeries that can save him, and the first surgery he needs is complex and very expensive. This is our chance to be a family… Otherwise, I can’t even bear to think about it.
Of course, we believe and hope. Each day is filled with worry, but also with hope that good people will stand by our side. Your donation is our lifeline—you can’t imagine how much it means, and I wish that you’ll never be in this place.
Please, help us save our child. Give Dudi a chance to live, to grow, and to experience the life ...
Silver Spring, MD - Nov. 15, 2024 - Agudath Israel of America organized a solidarity event at Char Bar to show support for D.C.’s longtime kosher restaurant after it was vandalized on the 86th anniversary of Kristallnacht. Community leaders who gathered in support of the restaurant were joined by Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY), who had publicly condemned the hateful act.
Agudath Israel commended Torres for his prompt response and ongoing commitment to standing against antisemitism. “Since being elected in 2020, Congressman Torres has been one of the loudest voices in Washington D.C. speaking out against antisemitism,” said Rabbi Yossie Charner, director of congressional affairs at Agudath Israel of America. “We are grateful for his support here tonigh...
NY, NY – Nov. 15, 2024 - As the days grow shorter and darkness falls earlier, safety becomes a critical concern when walking at night on Shabbos. Whether returning from shul or a seudah, the lack of visibility, especially when wearing dark clothing, can pose serious risks. Pedestrians may be difficult for drivers to see, increasing the potential for accidents.
Recognizing the importance of pedestrian safety, the Orthodox Union’s (OU) Department of Community Projects & Partnerships has been providing reflective belts free of charge to shuls since 2018. These bright yellow belts, designed to be worn over coats, enhance visibility in low-light conditions, helping to ensure safer walks home.
This life-saving initiative is made possible through the generosity of Drs. Evelyn an...
2024-2025 freezing weather shelter plan in place through April 15, 2025
Towson, MD - Nov. 15, 2024 - Baltimore County today activated its freezing weather shelter plan in preparation for the impending cold weather season. In place through April 15, the plan allows for the activation of the cold weather shelters for individuals experiencing homelessness when the forecast calls for freezing weather. Freezing Weather Shelters During the day, public facilities such as libraries, senior and community centers, shopping malls and places of worship offer respite from harsh weather, and individuals are encouraged to utilize these options as needed. County emergency shelters will be open from 6 p.m. until 9 a.m. on evenings when the temperature is expected to drop below freez...
Baltimore, MD - Nov. 15, 2024 - Tonight, Shabbos, 15 Marcheshvan is the 66th yahzeot of Rav Michoel Forshlager, z'tl.Visiting the kever of Rav Forshlager, zt'l, offers an opportunity for heartfelt tefillos in the presence of a great tzaddik. Those who have visited have shared remarkable stories of yeshuos, further emphasizing the power of this sacred experience. Mosdos Kehal Chassidim of Baltimore invites the entire Baltimore community to a Yahrzeit Seuda in honor of Rabbi Michoel Forshlager, ZT'L this Motzei Shabbos, Parshas Vayeira, at 8:30 pm at Beis Hamedrash Kedushas Yisroel, 6004 Park Heights Avenue. Special guest speaker, Rabbi Yissocher Frand, Shlit"a, will speak at 9 pm.Baltimore, MD - May 4, 2023 - In recent years, the great Gaon and Tzadik Rav Michoel Fo...
Healthcare facilities in Washington, D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia are seeing a dramatic spike in cases of "walking pneumonia," an illness known for being less severe than regular pneumonia, according to multiple reports.
In October, MedStar Health — a healthcare organization that operates 10 hospitals and 33 urgent care centers across the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan area — diagnosed 1,789 cases of walking pneumonia across the region, WUSA9 reported.
The number of cases marks a 358 percent increase, up from just 391 cases reported in October 2023.
“The biggest age group that we’re seeing that increase in is actually in the kiddos. From 10 to 17 is the highest increase, and we’re seeing a pretty significant jump in...
Israel's strike on Iran last month destroyed an active nuclear weapons and research facility in Parchin, Axios reported, quoting three US officials, one current Israeli official, and one former Israeli official.
The site was previously reported to be inactive, Axios added. However, it is now clear that the strike "significantly damaged" Iran's efforts to resume nuclear weapons research.
Iran has consistently denied that it is working to achieve a nuclear weapon, and its mission to the United Nations declined to comment on the story.
A former Israeli official briefed on the strike said Israel "destroyed sophisticated equipment used to design the plastic explosives that surround uranium in a nuclear device and are needed to detonate it."
According ...
Baltimore, MD – Nov. 14, 2024 - It is with regret that Baltimore Jewish Life (BJL) informs the community of the petira of Richard Rubin, z’l, father of Adam Rubin
The Levaya will be held on Friday, Nov.15, 2024, at Levinson’s at 10 AM.
Kevurah will take place at Beth Jacob Anshe Veshear. 6300 Hamilton Ave, Rosedale, MD 21237
Shiva, through Thursday morning, Nov. 21, 2024, will be observed at 6826 Navajo Drive beginning Friday afternoon through Mincha at 2:30.
Minyanim:
Shacharis: 6:30AM
Mincha/Ma’ariv: 4:35PMMaariv Motzaei Shabbos: 5:34PM
The family requests no visitors from 11-1, 5:45-7:30 PM, and after 9:30 PM.
Bila HaMaves LaNetzach…
Baltimore, MD – Nov. 15, 2024 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Zac & Caitlyn Welgrin on the birth of a daughter.
Mazel Tov to grandparents Larry & Lara Franks and to grandparents Bobby & Delia Benn.
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בתם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Baltimore, MD – Nov. 15, 2024 - It is with regret that Baltimore Jewish Life (BJL) informs the community of the petira of Aryeh Berman, z’l, son of Rabbi Donald (Dovid Yosef) & Ruth Berman.
The Levayah will be held today at 12:30PM at Agudath Israel Cemetery in Rosedale.
Shiva details to follow.
Bila HaMaves LaNetzach…
Baltimore, MD – Nov. 15, 2024 BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Eliezer Katz (Baltimore) & Reena Levy (Los Angeles) on their engagement!
Mazel Tov to Mr. & Mrs. Aryeh Leib and Peninah Katz.
יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!
Baltimore, MD – Nov. 15, 2024 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Mr. and Mrs. Shai Scheller on the birth of twin daughters.
Mazel Tov to grandparents Dr. and Mrs. Yossie Scheller and Mr. & Mrs. David Markovic
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בתם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Raleigh, North Carolina - Nov. 14, 2024 - Advance Auto Parts on Thursday announced that it is planning to close more than 700 locations in the U.S. as it looks to improve its financial performance amid sluggish consumer demand.
The company announced it plans to close 523 corporate stores as well as 204 independently-owned locations and four distribution centers by the middle of 2025. It also flagged that it will reduce its headcount, but didn't provide details.
That news comes as it revealed its quarterly earnings on Thursday, which showed that Advance's comparable store sales decreased by 2.3% in the third quarter and faces rising expenses "due to wage investments in frontline team members that were partially offset by a reduction in marketing expenses."
Adva...
When Governor Larry Hogan left office, he left his successor with a $5 billion dollar budget surplus.
"We are proud to be leaving the state of Maryland’s budget and its economy in the best shape it’s ever been in and I believe that this is a shining example that we have changed Maryland for the better," he said.
His hope was the state's $3 billion-dollar rainy day fund and $2.5 billion-dollar structural surplus wouldn't go to waste.
"It would be a mistake for the legislature to use its newly expanded budgetary power to return to the old habits of raiding the rainy-day fund or recklessly spending down the surplus," he said.
"That is the largest gap in gap that we have seen in the last 20 years. It is more significant than the Great Recession. So, this is a signific...
President-elect Trump teased a "big" announcement Thursday night, sharing that North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum will lead the Department of the Interior.
"He's going to be announced [Friday]…I look forward to doing the formal announcement, although this is a pretty big announcement right now, actually," Trump said during his speech at the Americans For Prosperity Gala at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday. "He's going to head the Department of Interior, and he's going to be fantastic."
"We're going to reduce regulation waste, fraud and inefficiency," Trump said. "We're going to clean out the corrupt, broken and failing bureaucracies. And we're going to stop child sexual mutilation. We're going to stop it because it's time."
Burgum, a multi-...
What is the best setup for an office kitchen where all the employees don't keep kosher? How many microwaves do you need? These questions and more answered by Rav Shmuel Fuerst - Dayan of Agudas Yisroel of Illinois in this week's episode.
Now the Lord appeared to him in the plains of Mamre, and he was sitting at the entrance of the tent when the day was hot. And he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing beside him, and he saw, and he ran toward them from the entrance of the tent, and he prostrated himself to the ground. And he said, “My lords, if only I have found favor in your eyes, please do not pass on from beside your servant. Please let a little water be taken, bathe your feet, and recline under the tree. (Bereishis 18:1-4)
In previous parshios we have been introduced to Avraham, the monotheist and spiritual leader. This week we are introduced to Avraham the host. Avraham and Sarah open their home, invite guests, and through this chessed and hospitality, spread the...
The corrupted way of Sodom finally comes to a catastrophic destruction at the behest of G-d.
Although they engaged in many bizarre and cruel acts of punishment against those who defied their barbaric rules, the prophet Yechezkel reports that their demise was attributed to the fact that, יד — the hand of the poor and needy, לא החזיקה — she did not strengthen. (16 49)
Was it merely their lack of support for those in need that warranted their obliteration? Weren't the abusive and violent acts they perpetrated upon their populace and strangers far worse than their simply not having acted kindly to the impoverished?
The term the prophet uses here, 'not strengthening the hand of the needy', seems a bit too subtle for a description of those who selfishly re...
