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December 13, 2019 at 12:51 pm
Parshas VaYishlach - Baltimore Zmanim / Eruv is UP!
Baltimore, MD – Dec. 13, 2019
Parshas: VaYishlach
Today: 15Kislev
Chatzos today: 12:01 PM
Hadlakas Nairos: 4:25 PM
Shkiah: 4:43:45 PM
Tzais HaKochavim: 5:34 PM
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December 13, 2019 at 12:51 pm
The House has approved the second article of Impeachment for President Trump. 23 I’s and 17 no’s.
This makes President Trump the third President to face impeachment in the House after President Clinton and President Andrew Jackson.
The case will now be vote on in the House next week before it is tried before the Senate where it will most likely be struck down by the Republican majority.
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December 13, 2019 at 12:49 pm
There are certain things one might expect to do in the Meadowlands of New Jersey, but skiing hasn’t been one of them, at least not until last week. The area, primarily known for Giants football games and as the final resting place for more than a few Sopranos characters, is now home to North America’s first indoor ski slope.
Big Snow, as it’s known, rises 16 stories at an angle from the surrounding marshland, like a massive cruise ship run aground. It’s a strange sight from the outside and even more surreal within, as skiers and snowboarders descend a 1,000-foot-long, 200-foot-wide expanse of snow, kept at a chilly 28F year-round and serviced by a chairlift that ascends to the icicle-draped rafters-all within sight of the Manhattan skyline.
The slope is one of the...
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December 13, 2019 at 12:21 pm
Former New York mayor Mike Bloomberg released a doctor’s letter Thursday that described him as a “77-year-old man in outstanding health” who has no medical concerns that would prevent him from serving as president of the United States.
Bloomberg is the second septuagenarian presidential contender to assure the public of their health, following a glowing report by a doctor for Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Other candidates in the Democratic race, including former vice president Joe Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., have promised to release medical details before the Iowa caucuses on Feb. 3.
The current presidential field is the oldest in history, with four candidates in their 70s competing to challenge President Donald Trump, 73, in next year’s election.
Bloo...
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December 13, 2019 at 12:14 pm
Natan Sharansky, the former Russian Prisoner of Zion who would later become head of Israel’s Jewish Agency, was named on Tuesday as the winner of the 2020 Genesis Prize in recognition of his “extraordinary lifelong struggle for human rights, political freedom and his service to the Jewish people and the State of Israel.”
The Genesis Prize Foundation will confer the $1 million prize to Sharansky at an award ceremony to be held on June 18 in Jerusalem.
The prize, which was once dubbed the “Jewish Nobel” by Time magazine, was established in 2012 to honor “extraordinary individuals for their outstanding professional achievement, contribution to humanity and commitment to Jewish values.”
Sharansky said he would donate the award money to a worthy caus...
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December 13, 2019 at 11:48 am
Have you ever thought into the numerical value of zero? The round circle represents nothing when it stands alone. However, when placed after other numbers, it can mean everything.
At COPE’s CPA Track graduation ceremonies for graduates and their families, the lineup of distinguished speakers, faculty, and grateful students echoed this theme. In today’s world where secular higher education is increasingly at odds with our values, one must be assured of staying in a safe, supportive environment, protecting the high standards cultivated by our Yeshivos, Bais Yaakovs, and families. That’s where COPE Education Services comes in. Since its inception in 1977, COPE has been instrumental in delivering top-quality secular education in an environment that’s in sync with Torah...
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December 13, 2019 at 11:31 am
Last week saw the launch of an initiative born of a strange shidduch — between the foundation of famously progressive philanthropist George Soros and that of libertarian donor Charles Koch.
The “Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft” was introduced as a “transpartisan” think tank whose focus will be on promoting diplomatic agreement instead of military solutions.
The new enterprise takes its name from John Quincy Adams, the sixth American president, who, as Secretary of State in 1821, made a speech warning against the U.S. going abroad “in search of monsters to destroy.”
There are, however, in fact, a number of fearsome monsters out there, some of whom threaten our allies and our own country. It’s nice to imagine that diplo...
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December 13, 2019 at 11:23 am
President Trump has been discussing with his campaign advisers whether or not to participate in the general election debates in 2020, two people close to the situation told The New York Times.
According to the sources, Trump doesn’t trust the Commission on Presidential Debates, the nonprofit organization that puts on the debates. Specifically, Trump is apprehensive of who will be chosen by the organization to moderate the debates, the Times reports.
Trump’s campaign reportedly declined to comment on what their plan was for the debates at a state-of-the-race campaign briefing in Arlington, Va.
Read more at The Hill.
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December 13, 2019 at 11:13 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that the U.S. and China have reached a Phase 1 trade deal, de-escalating a 17-month dispute between the economic powers.
The U.S. is dropping plans to impose tariffs Sunday on $160 billion in Chinese imports and is reducing some existing tariffs on Chinese goods. In return, Trump said, the Chinese have agreed to “massive” but unspecified purchases of American farm and manufactured products.
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December 13, 2019 at 11:07 am
MANHATTAN, NY (AP) – A juvenile suspect has been arrested in the fatal stabbing of an 18-year-old Barnard College freshman, according to a law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation.
The person was not authorized to speak publicly and did so on condition of anonymity Friday.
Tessa Majors, of Charlottesville, Virginia, was walking in Manhattan’s Morningside Park just before 7 p.m. Wednesday when she was accosted by an unknown number of people and stabbed during a struggle, police officials said.
Chief of Detectives Rodney Harrison said possibly as many as three attackers were involved.
Majors was attacked during an armed robbery, according to the president of Barnard College, which is part of the Ivy League’s Columbia University. She then staggered to...
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December 13, 2019 at 10:53 am
JERSEY CITY, NJ (VINnews) – Steven Fulop the Mayor of Jersey City tweeted this morning that in his opinion, and based on information that will still come out, that the target of the terrorists was the 50 children at the Yeshiva attached to that store.
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December 13, 2019 at 10:50 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Impeachment charges against President Donald Trump went to the full House on Friday, following approval by the House Judiciary Committee.
The House is expected to take up the two articles of impeachment next week.
The abuse of power charge stems from Trump’s July phone call with the Ukraine president pressuring him to announce an investigation of Democrats as he was withholding US aid. The obstruction charge involves Trump’s blocking of House efforts to investigate his actions. Trump has denied wrongdoing.
The vote in the House panel was split along party lines, with 23 Democrats voting in favor and 17 Republicans opposed.
Trump is accused, in the first article, of abusing his presidential power by asking Ukraine to investigate his 2020 rival Joe Bid...
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December 13, 2019 at 10:47 am
JERSEY CITY, NJ (VINnews) – The FBI on Friday said it is seeking the public’s help in tracking down a van owned by one of the Jersey City killers,
The 2001 white Ford van has the license plate number B40-JSD, the van may be linked to dead suspect David Anderson.Anyone who sees the vehicle is asked to call 973-792-7518.
WABC TV reports, that on Friday, Senator Bob Menendez, Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action, Jersey City Anti-Violence Coalition and other local leaders are expected to hold a candlelight vigil and call for gun safety reform.
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December 13, 2019 at 10:30 am
Vateizei Dina. And Dina went out. Today, the mere words conjure up thoughts of negativity and of the recklessness of Dina in venturing out of the protective environment of her home. Indeed, it is hard to find many words in the Torah which have drawn such a magnitude of interpretation, most which use this tragic episode as a warning against women straying to far into the outside world. As is often the case though, those who use a tragedy to advance an agenda are often missing the more profound lesson which can be found with a simple reading of our most trusted commentary, Rashi.
Rashi comments that Dina is referred to as “Bas Leah” but not “Bas Yaakov” since Leah too had “gone out”. Rashi (Vayishlach 34:1). R...
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December 13, 2019 at 9:30 am
Esav is overwhelmed by Yaakov’s display of brotherly affection. In a sudden turn of heart, Esav genuinely offers to escort Yaakov’s family on their journey. Yaakov still fearing Esav’s intentions encourages Esav to continue at his own pace towards his destination to Seir, while he will travel at the gait of his children and drove, but promising, אבא אל אדני שעירה, I will come to my lord at Seir, eventually.
The Talmud teaches that this was a deceptive tactic deluding Esav into thinking he had more time to exact his revenge against Yaakov, assuming Yaakov will be following him to Seir, while in reality Yaakov detoured much earlier towards Sukkos, thus escaping any evil intended harm from Esav.
The Midrash adds that Yaakov being an אַמִיתּ�...
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December 13, 2019 at 8:35 am
It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of Rabbi Mordechai Kokis, zt”l.
Rav Mordechai was a yungerman from Bais Medrash Govoah in Lakewood who had battled illness for the last couple of years.
A talmid chochom and yorei Shomayim who possessed extraordinary emunah and bitachon, Rav Mordechai inspired thousands with his avodas Hashem and reinkeit, before his illness and throughout his medical ordeal.
When others might have been weakened and dispirited, Rav Mordechai seemed to just keep going, learning Torah, being mechazeik others, and constantly speaking of the chesed of the Ribono Shel Olam.
Rav Mordechai was a son of Rav Benzion Kokis, a mashgiach at Bais...
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December 13, 2019 at 8:34 am
NEW JERSEY (VINnews/Sandy Eller) – A 49 year old Ecuadorian grocery worker who died in the devastating attack on a kosher store in Jersey City is being remembered as an honorary member of the Jewish community and a hero today, paying the ultimate price while saving the life of a Chasidic resident.
Miguel Douglas Rodriguez had just returned from vacation, starting his shift at Jersey City Kosher Market at noon on December 10th.
Just over half an hour later, Chaim Deutch and his 24 year old cousin Moshe Deutch entered the store and, within moments, gunshots rang out. Seeing his cousin gunned down before his eyes, an injured Chaim Deutch ran for the back door finding Rodriguez steps ahead of him. Rodriguez held the door for Deutch to leave the store first, a selfless act that proved f...
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December 13, 2019 at 8:32 am
Officials are warning about a number of fake GoFundMe pages claiming to benefit hero New Jersey Detective Joseph Seals, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on Tuesday.
Shameless scammers set up at least four fundraising pages, that combined, raised about $16,000, according to the New Jersey Police Benevolent Association.
“Warning – We have been alerted that there are numerous GoFundMe pages set up for Det. Joseph Seals most, if not all, are fake,” the organization tweeted Wednesday morning.
A Chessed Fund page was opened by Jewish activists to raise money for Seals family to show appreciation for the cop who died in the line of duty.
Read more at NY POST.
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December 13, 2019 at 8:31 am
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler late on Thursday night abruptly paused his committee’s debate on articles of impeachment before final votes until Friday morning, prompting howls of protest from Republicans after a marathon session that had stretched more than 14 hours.
As the debate appeared to be winding down toward a final vote on the impeachment articles, Nadler announced that the committee would instead hold a final vote on the two articles Friday morning, and banged his gavel down. The hearing will resume at 10 a.m. EST Friday, allowing Democrats to hold a historic vote in the daytime instead of close to midnight.
Republicans erupted in anger at the move, accusing the New York Democrat of wanting to put the vote on television and going back on an agreeme...
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December 12, 2019 at 11:20 pm
The deadly attack at a kosher supermarket here that left six people, including the two suspects, dead this week is being investigated as domestic terrorism, officials announced Thursday.
“We believe the suspects held views that reflected hatred of the Jewish people, as well as the hatred of law enforcement,” New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said at a news conference.
Officials said surveillance video indicated the market had been deliberately marked, raising the specter that the shooting was another in a growing national pattern of anti-Semitic attacks.
“This confirms a sad truth; there is a crisis of anti-Semitism gripping this nation,” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, said of the attack, which claimed the lives of two New York natives. At ...
