A middle-aged Jewish woman suffered head injuries during an assault in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn Thursday night, CrownHeights.info reported. The incident occurred at approximately 7:15 p.m. local time Thursday while the woman was walking between Troy Avenue and Albany Avenue, when a female African American teenager rushed the victim from behind, punching her in the head and knocking her to the ground. The assailant continued to beat her victim, while attempting to steal her pocketbook. Shomrim were able to apprehend the assailant, a 16-year-old girl who was taken into police custody. Read more at Arutz Sheva.
The Blue and White party is considering rejecting President Trump’s invitation to Blue and White chief Benny Gantz to visit the White House next week, Israeli media outlets reported Friday afternoon. According to reports by Amit Segal on Channel 12 and Barak Ravid on Channel 13, the center-left Blue and White party has not yet decided whether it will accept President Trump’s invitation to the White House, during which the much-anticipated Middle East peace plan is expected to be presented to party chairman Benny Gantz. The party’s four leaders – Benny Gantz, Yair Lapid, Moshe Yaalon, and Gabi Ashkenazi – are reportedly debating whether to accept or reject the invitation, and are planning to announce their decision at 7:30 p.m. Saturday night. Read more at&n...
Baltimore, MD -  Jan. 24, 2020 -    2020 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Daniel & Chaya Feldman  on the birth of a son. Mazel Tov to grandparents Mr. & Mrs. Nechemiah Feldman and Mr. & Mrs. Eliyahu Srulowitz יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
BALTIMORE — A Baltimore police internal investigation is underway into a traffic stop involving a mayoral candidate, and his rivals in the Democratic primary are weighing in. Baltimore City Council President Brandon Scott filed as an official candidate Thursday for Baltimore's 2020 Democratic mayoral primary. "I feel good, I feel good," Scott said. He came prepared to discuss the campaign issue of the day involving competitor Thiru Vignarajah's traffic stop, a portion of which was recorded on police body-worn camera video. Scott said that what is seen on the video is not what leadership looks like. "You get into public service to do good for all, not to get special treatment for yourself," Scott said. Former Baltimore police spokesman T.J. Smith also filled out h...
A Baltimore police officer was struck in the face Thursday while trying to break up a fight between two juveniles in northeast Baltimore, police said. At 2:50 p.m., the officer saw a group fighting in the 5000 block of Sinclair Lane. She was trying to separate two of them when she was hit. She suffered minor injuries. The two juveniles were arrested at the scene by other officers who were called to the scene. The incident is under investigation.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Rep. Ilhan Omar’s congressional career got off to a rocky start just a year ago, with her provocative remarks on Israel and Jews stirring anger across the country and raising speculation that some other Minnesota Democrat might step forward to challenge her in 2020. That was then. Omar was kicking off her reelection campaign Thursday night with a massive bank account and no challengers who pose a serious threat from either party. Her campaign slogan — “Send her back to Congress!” — gleefully evokes President Donald Trump’s personal attacks on her. In an overwhelmingly Democratic district that where Omar took 78% of the vote in 2018, University of Minnesota political scientist Larry Jacobs gives her opponents no chance. &ldquo...
As the Maccos commence, there is a fascinating juxtaposition of words and phrases, relating to Paaroh’s state of mind during the process. Much discussion is devoted to the P’sukim which describe “Hashem hardening the heart of Paaroh”.  How this is consistent with B’chira Chafshi (free will), why was it necessary to prolong the Maccos etc.  While a great deal in the way of deep explanations have been authored by a variety of sources, little analysis, if any, appears to have been offered into how these phrases interplay with Paaroh’s fleeting willingness to acquiesce to the demands of Moshe Rabbeinu and the will of Hashem. Prior to the first Macca of Daam, the Torah expresses repeatedly that Paaroh had entrenched his heart.  (VaEira 7:13,15...
Longtime PBS NewsHour anchor Jim Lehrer died Thursday, the network announced. He was 85.  Lehrer had anchored the show, which he founded with Robert MacNeil, for 36 years before retiring in 2011.  He died at home in his sleep, according to the announcement.  “I’m heartbroken at the loss of someone who was central to my professional life, a mentor to me and someone whose friendship I’ve cherished for decades,” Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor of PBS NewsHour, said in a statement. “I’ve looked up to him as the standard for fair, probing and thoughtful journalism and I know countless others who feel the same way.” PBS President Paula Kerger said she was sad to hear the news “giant” had died. ...
[Ed. Note] Out of the respect and recognition of the impact made by longtime BJL friend and contributor, Reb Shaya Gross, z’l, we will maintain a living memoriam to Shaya through the sweet words and thoughtful insights of  his Divrei Torah. BJL readers will remember his weekly column on the Parsha and on various Torah ideas and concepts. These meaningful words will help us remember this special young man who will be sorely missed and for those who did not merit to know him, this will be the most appropriate way for them to become familiar with who he was. Parshas Shemos ends with a seemingly dark 'end note' by Moshe failing in his mission to end the servitude of Bnei Yisroel under Pharaoh. In fact, the servitude intensifies, Moshe is bewildered, and G-d rea...
Lakewood had also hired its first Orthodox Jewish cop, among a group of 13 new cops. Police officer Michael Wolf, in uniform, was sworn in as the first Orthodox policeman to join the Lakewood Police Department. With his arrival, township police expect to have closer communication with the local Orthodox Jewish community. The promotion ceremony was an opportunity for the officials to discus their own initiatives for calming fears and improving safety in a community were Orthodox Jews make up a highly visible and ever-growing segment of the population. “Lakewood remains a safe place thanks to the job these men and women do every day and night,” Meyer said. Read more at APP.
President Trump said he expects to release his long-awaited Middle East peace plan prior to his meeting with Israeli leaders on Tuesday at the White House. “Sometime prior to that. Probably we’ll release it a little bit prior to that,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One while en route to Florida. Trump said he had spoken “briefly” to the Palestinians about the plan, though it’s unclear when. “They have a lot of incentive to do it,” Trump said of the Palestinians. “I’m sure they maybe will react negatively at first but it’s actually very positive for them.” Read more at The Hill.
Baltimore, MD - Jan. 23, 2020 - If you thought that all Chaverim of Baltimore did was start cars you're in for a surprise. This evening, Chaverim partnered with a local tree service to rescue a cat that had been stuck in a tree approximately 40 feet high for the last two days at the corner of Gist & Glen Ave.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz are expected to be at the White House next Tuesday to discuss the “Deal of the Century.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received the gift of the century on Thursday when Vice President Mike Pence invited him and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz to the White House for talks next Tuesday about the long-awaited peace plan, otherwise known as the “Deal of the Century.”It is a gift for a number of reasons. First, on Tuesday, the Knesset is scheduled to hold a fateful vote on Netanyahu’s request for immunity from prosecution for his alleged crimes of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. Will Blue and White now back down from its request to hold the hearing due to the summ...
Baltimore, MD - Jan. 23, 2020 - On the 90th anniversary of the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe’s visit to Baltimore, a commemorative gathering occurred at the historic Downtown Tzemach Tzedek Shul, where a large crowd came together to learn the same Chasidic discourse he delivered- at that exact time, in that exact place. In 5690 (1930), the Previous Lubavitch Rebbe spent a year in America during which he visited several US cities. One of those cities was Baltimore, where he stayed for three weeks, from 12 Teves until 4 Shvat. The newspaper accounts of his visit noted that over three thousand people came to welcome the Rebbe at Baltimore's Mt. Royal station.  On the Yahrtzait of his ancestor the Baal Hatanya, Chof Daled Teves, the Previous Rebbe visited the...
                                         Heads of State from Europe, North America and Australia gather at Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center, for the Fifth World Holocaust Forum to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz and International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
When G-d first instructs Moshe to confront Pharaoh, he is told to tell him that “the G-d of the עברים/Hebrews, happened upon us. And now please let us go...” (שמות ג יח) Although Jews are previously identified in the Torah as עברים in the plural, and עברי in the singular, this is the first time G-d is described as the ‘G-d of the עברים/Hebrews’. In the prelude to the three plagues of דבר/Plague, ברד/Hail, and ארבה/Locusts, Moshe again is told to warn Pharaoh in the name of the ‘G-d of the Hebrews’. Elsewhere Moshe speaks of the ‘G-d of Israel’. Why in regard to these plagues is G-d associated with the Hebrews specifically? This appellation relates to the very first Hebrew, our illustrious ‘father&...
NEW YORK (AP) – If you’re spending a lot on convenience — whether in the form of grocery delivery, ride-hailing or meal delivery — your credit card wants to reward you for it, while encouraging you to spend more. Consider these recent offerings: — Chase announced in January that for a limited time, eligible cardmembers can get free memberships to DoorDash’s subscription food delivery service, DashPass, valued at $9.99 a month. The Chase Sapphire Reserve also now offers a complimentary one-year Lyft Pink subscription, which comes with several perks. — The Capital One Walmart Rewards Mastercard, launched in October, offers its highest rewards, 5% back, on purchases made online and through the Walmart app, which includes Walmart Grocery Pickup and ...
DUBUQUE, Iowa (AP) — Pete Buttigieg finds himself in a place that he could hardly have contemplated when he began running for president a year ago: He likely cannot finish lower than second in the Iowa caucuses if he wants to advance in the Democratic presidential nominating campaign. But less than two weeks before the first preferences of the 2020 presidential campaign are recorded, that’s the narrow path he is navigating as his strong campaign organization, competitive poll numbers and wildly successful fundraising meet a reckoning moment. Can he now meet lofty expectations, or is he relegated to the category of candidates with exceptional promise only to come up short? “I’m not sure a win is necessary, but he’s got to be in the top two, I would think, to...
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