PINNED
Scroll for more news
Baltimore, MD - Feb. 24, 2025 - At Mesivta Kesser Torah, we take pride in every bochur—in his growth, his hasmadah, and his place in the mesorah of Klal Yisroel. Each talmid is not just a part of the yeshiva; he is a treasured jewel upon its crown.
This was so vividly seen this past month, as we gathered for two extraordinary events:
שאל אביך ויגדך – A powerful father-son learning event, where fathers and sons connected through the eternal bond of Torah.
זקניך ויאמרו לך – A special grandfather-grandson learning event, where generations joined together to share in the mesorah, strengthening the crown of Torah that has been passed down for centuries.
At Kesser Torah, this is our mission: to instill in each talmid...
Baltimore, MD - March 3, 2025 - (BJL) For the past 14 years, Dr. Leslie Klein has played a transformative role in shaping the academic excellence of the Women’s Institute of Torah Seminary & College (WITS). Under her leadership, WITS has grown in both professionalism and opportunity, expanding its degree programs, strengthening academic partnerships, and ensuring that students receive a well-rounded education. Her dedication and vision have left a lasting impact, empowering hundreds of students to pursue their academic and professional aspirations.As WITS looks to the future, it shares bittersweet news: Dr. Klein will step down as Academic Dean in June 2025. The school is deeply grateful for her many years of service and is pleased that she will continue in an advisory role throu...
Tel Avv, Israel - March 3, 2025 - IDF soldiers left so many markers on social media that Hamas invaders on October 7 had a complete breakdown of nearly every unit, sub-unit, and building within the Nahal Oz IDF base when they overwhelmed it, killed 53 soldiers, and took 10 hostage on October 7, 2023.
16 of those killed were female field observers, many killed when Hamas burned the building they were in, and several of the hostages were among the recently released female hostages as part of the January 19 ceasefire. Two officers and five soldiers did escape the burning situation room by breaking a bathroom window and sneaking out.
So complete were the social media descriptions, often simply from photos that soldiers snapped next to different buildings on their first or last...
Full power has been restored Monday at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport after an hours-long outage.
Airport officials said full power was restored around 11:15 a.m. The outage also impacted all electricity, including elevators, escalators and moving walkways. Crews handed out water bottles to travelers.
During the outage, some airlines used "air stairs" to deplane passengers. The power outage impacted areas of the main terminal and the hourly garage, an airport spokesman said.
Airline flights continued to operate, though delays persisted. Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for updated flight status information.
"I was waiting at my gate to get on my flight, the power went out. They said, 'Give us 10 minutes to reboot the computers.'...
Against a strong inner world, the machinations of Yishmael cannot stand
Throughout the present tzarah, we have all struggled to respond productively. It is easy to become confused in the haze of geopolitics and punditry. And it is easy to become incensed at the attempts by academics to define the genocide of Jews as a matter of context.
But in truth, these phenomena are merely distractions. The baser elements are acting as they always have and always will, until the arrival of Mashiach. The earnest oved Hashem wants to penetrate beneath the surface to apprehend the spiritual nature of the enemy and how we should respond.
The animalistic depravity of Hamas arguably exceeds even the barbarism of the Nazis. While the scope of Nazi genocide is unsurpassed, they at least...
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 3, 2025 - BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Stuart (Shmuel) Emden, z’l, father of Leib Reuven Emden.
The levayah will be graveside today, Monday, March 3, 2025 at noon at Garden of Remembrance Memorial Park, 14321 Comus Road, Clarksburg, MD, 20871.For a ride contact Mordechai Weiskopf: 443-540-1626
Shiva details to follow
Bila Hamaves Lanetzach…
Lighting Our Own Flame
A few years ago, a rabbi visited a school in Alaska to speak about Judaism. At the end of his lecture, he asked if anyone in the room was Jewish. A young girl timidly raised her hand and declared, "I am." The rabbi was deeply moved to encounter a Jewish soul in such a distant place but struggled with what he could possibly say to her in the few brief moments before he had to leave for his flight. How could he meaningfully connect her to her heritage?
Then, an idea struck him. "You probably know," he began, explaining to the girl, "that every Friday, Jewish women around the world light Shabbat candles before the sun sets. The ritual begins in Australia, moves through Israel, France, Britain, and much later reaches New York. And finally – it reaches Alaska. Whe...
Baltimore, MD - March 3, 2025 - A power outage has created massive issues at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport causing delays Monday morning.
According to a spokesperson with the airport, they are currently experiencing a power outage that is impacting areas of the main terminal and hourly garage. Airport personnel are working to restore power as quickly as possible. Airline flights are operating, though delays are possible. Passengers should check with their airlines for updated flight status information.
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 1, 2025 - BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Celeste Reef, a'h, mother of Mrs. Hayley (Michael) Bazelon.The levayah will take place Monday morning at 110:00AM at Steeles Memorial chapel - 350 Steeles Ave Thornhill, ON
Shiva will be observed in Baltimore beginning Wednesday morning, Mar.5th
Bila Hamaves Lanetzach…
New York, NY - Mar. 2, 2025 - 7,000 Jewish teens from 60 countries, including 350 from Israel, filled Times Square on Saturday night, singing, dancing, and declaring their Jewish pride in the most public square on earth. After a year of challenges, they didn’t gather to explain who they are. They came to live it—out loud and together.
They came from across the globe—some from communities shaken by war, others from countries grappling with rising antisemitism, and still others from regions recovering from natural disasters like wildfires and hurricanes.
Together, they came to live their Judaism—proudly, unapologetically, and in full view of the world.
“Shavuah Tov, CTeen!”
The words rang out from the stage, declared by Rabbi Mendy Kotlarsky, Chairman ...
Baltimore, MD - Mar. 2, 2025 - Maryland’s spending board approved $445 million in new information technology contracts despite lawmakers still having unanswered questions about $1.03 billion in IT project spending that a legislative audit showed a state agency could not explain.
The Maryland Board of Public Works (BPW) hearing, typically chaired by Gov. Wes Moore, was kicked off on Wednesday morning with Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller serving in his seat as his proxy.
Before the board began discussing the nearly half-a-billion-dollar collection of supplemental expenditure for Statewide Agile Resources IT contracts, Comptroller Brooke Lierman announced she was recusing herself before leaving the room.
The 45-minute BPW hearing, held in the Governor’s Reception Room outside the governo...
Tel Aviv, Israel - Mar. 2, 2025 -The Prime Minister's Office, this morning (Sunday, 2 March 2025) [translated from Hebrew]:With the conclusion of the first stage of the hostages deal and in light of Hamas's refusal to accept the Witkoff framework for the continuation of the talks, to which Israel has agreed, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has decided that, as of this morning, the entry of all goods and supplies to the Gaza Strip will be halted.Israel will not allow a ceasefire without a release of our hostages. If Hamas persists in its refusal, there will be additional consequences.
The Qatari-based Al-Jazeera network published details of the negotiations that they claim took place in the last 48 hours between the Israeli negotiating team and the mediators.
According to the report, Israel demanded that Hamas release five live hostages and 10 dead hostages - in exchange for extending the first phase by a week, the release of more terrorists from Israeli prisons, and increasing aid into Gaza, in preparation for phase two of the ceasefire.
Israel requested Hamas' response to the proposal by midnight on Friday. However, Hamas informed the mediators of the rejection of the proposals - which it said constituted a violation of the agreement.
Israel's political echelon decided this morning (Sunday) to halt the transfer of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip after ...
Baltimore, MD - Mar. 1,2025 - Reps. Kweisi Mfume, Johnny Olszewski, and Sarah Elfreth called for an end to utility rate hikes in letters to the Maryland Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE).
“We are writing to communicate our extreme concern and disappointment as we continue to receive more and more testimonials from our constituents faced with skyrocketing BG&E costs after the 2025 utility rates increase granted by the Maryland Public Service Commission. In the most simple terms, many of our constituents are unable to afford the rate hikes thrust upon them,” the lawmakers wrote.
The trio outlined three actions they want the PSC to take:
"Rescind the BG&E rate increases that went into effect this year"
"Halt any addition...
ALL CLEAR...THANK YOU, Chaverim Baltimore, MD – Mar. 1, 2025 – 7:45PM (BJL) A tree is down at the intersection of Strathmore & Wirt, blocking Strathmore Road.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Join an official BJL WhatsApp group: bit.ly/2Qpdea2 Join BJL status: bit.ly/32HUBnJ
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 1, 2025 – 8:34PM (BJL) A fallen tree is blocking the right lane of Slade Avenue, between Park Heights and Reisterstown, heading toward Reisterstown. Police have placed cones to block off the lane, but they are difficult to see.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Join an official BJL WhatsApp group: bit.ly/2Qpdea2 Join BJL status: bit.ly/32HUBnJ
Tel Aviv, Israel - Mar. 1, 2025 - Following a security discussion chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and with the participation of the Defense Minister, senior security establishment officials and the negotiating team, it was decided:Israel adopts the framework of US Presidential envoy Steve Witkoff for a temporary ceasefire during the Ramadan and Passover period.On the first day of the framework, half of the living and deceased hostages will be released and upon its conclusion – if agreement is reached on a permanent ceasefire – the remaining living and deceased hostages will be released.Steve Witkoff proposed the framework on extending the ceasefire after gaining the impression that, at present, there was no possibility of bridging between the positions of th...
Conversations about a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia came to a screeching halt Friday, after a tense meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy led to a canceled press conference, a minerals deal off the table and Trump asking the Ukrainian president to leave, a White House official confirmed.
Trump accused Zelenskyy of "disrespecting" the U.S. during their Friday meeting, and said the Ukrainian leader was not ready to secure peace for his country.
"I have determined that President Zelenskyy is not ready for peace if America is involved, because he feels our involvement gives him a big advantage in negotiations," Trump said in a Truth Social post Friday. "I don't want advantage, I want PEACE. He disrespected the U...
