Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s aunt says the local government is responsible for her grandmother’s suffering since Hurricane Maria, not former President Donald Trump as the congresswoman suggested in a viral Twitter post. “It’s a problem here in Puerto Rico with the administration and the distribution of help,” Ocasio-Cortez’s aunt told the Daily Mail. “It is not a problem with Washington. We had the assistance, and it didn’t get to the people.” Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more Join BJL on WhatsApp Groups: Click here to Join an official BJL WhatsApp group for breaking news as it happens The comment appears to contradict a recent Tw...
Residential homes evacuated but no casualties reported A wildfire raging out of control in the Jerusalem suburb of Mevaseret Zion on Sunday forced Israeli police to evacuate several residences, one of numerous such incidents in recent weeks. No casualties were reported so far.  Police said they suspected that arson was behind the blaze. Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more Join BJL on WhatsApp Groups: Click here to Join an official BJL WhatsApp group for breaking news as it happens Strong winds further fanned the flames, carrying the blaze further headed toward Jerusalem's ancient Motza neighborhood and an adjacent assisted living facility, as heavy smoke billowed throughout the area. ...
ADDRESS BY PRIME MINISTER-DESIGNATE NAFTALI BENNETT SWEARING IN OF THE GOVERNMENT, THE KNESSET, JERUSALEM SUNDAY, 13 JUNE 2021 / 3 TAMMUZ 5781 H.E. President Reuven Rivlin; President-elect Isaac Herzog; Mr. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu; President of the Supreme Court, Justice Esther Hayut; Speaker of the Knesset Yariv Levin; my partner in forming the Unity Government, Member of Knesset Yair Lapid, and his wife Lihi; Ministers of the outgoing government; Ministers of the incoming government; Members of Knesset; honored guests. I want to begin my words by saying, on my own behalf, and in the name of the members of the designated government, in the name of this House, and in the name of all the citizens of Israel – thank you. Thank you to the outgoing Prime Minister, Benja...
PM accuses new government of planning 'fascist' laws as Knesset prepares to vote in new government. 'But we'll be back soon.' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu excoriated the proposed national unity government at a special Knesset session Sunday afternoon, accusing the new coalition of planning ‘fascist’ laws in the style of North Korea and Iran. As the Knesset prepared to vote on the national unity government, Netanyahu said the new government would surrender to international pressure to support the nuclear deal with Iran, claiming that Tehran is ‘celebrating’ the inauguration of the new government. Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more Join BJL on WhatsApp...
Coalition partner in incoming government addresses Knesset in Arabic. 'No one sold out the Negev, it will stay part of Israel.' United Arab List (Ra'am) party chairman Mansour Abbas addressed the Knesset in both Arabic and Hebrew Sunday, discussing his decision to support the incoming national unity government led by Naftali Bennett (Yamina) and Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid). In his address, made during a special session of the Knesset convened to vote on the new government, Abbas rejected claims by right-wing critics that the new government had 'sold out' the Negev by recognizing illegal Bedouin settlements. Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more Join BJL on WhatsApp Groups: Cli...
President Biden congratulates Naftali Bennett shortly after he is sworn in as prime minister. President Joe Biden congratulated Israel’s new prime minister, Naftali Bennett, on Sunday, shortly after Bennett was sworn-in at the Knesset. “On behalf of the American people, I congratulate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Alternate Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, and all the members of the new Israeli cabinet,” said Biden. “I look forward to working with Prime Minister Bennett to strengthen all aspects of the close and enduring relationship between our two nations.” Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more Join BJL on WhatsApp Groups: Click here to Join an official BJL...
Today, the 3rd of Tammuz, the day of the swearing in of the new government, is also the day of the Lubavticher Rebbe's passing 27 years ago. There are so many things we would be wise to learn from him, especially today:•    The Lubavitcher Rebbe is considered to be one of the most outstanding Jewish leaders of the 20th century, although he never won an election. Leadership, it's so important to remind ourselves, is not only in politics. Leadership is also expressed in spirit and in Torah, in culture and in art, in business and in industry, in the military, and more. There are many other areas besides politics in which to lead, with all due respect to the political leaders that have obsessively preoccupied us during the last four rounds of elections. Join BJL ...
Bennett wins razor-thin majority in Knesset, replaces Netanyahu as PM. Yesh Atid MK elected to replace Yariv Levin as Knesset Speaker. The new coalition government led by Prime Minister-elect Naftali Bennett has won Knesset backing, paving the way for the the new government Sunday night. Bennett became Israel's thirteenth prime minister Sunday night, ending Benjamin Netanyahu's more than 12 consecutive years in power. Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more Join BJL on WhatsApp Groups: Click here to Join an official BJL WhatsApp group for breaking news as it happens Sixty MKs voted in favor of the new government, with 59 lawmakers voting against. While the government is set to include 61 MKs &nda...
Baltimore, MD – June 13, 2021 - It is with regret that BaltimoreJewishLife.com informs the community of the petira of Dovid Gholian, z'l, father of Rabbi Hershel Gholian, Benyamin Gholian, Reuven Gholian, Rivka Shillian and Fariba Diamond. Shiva will be observed at 3106 Bonnie Road, Baltimore, MD, 21208Please use second ramp entrance on right side of house. Shacharis: 7:00 AMMincha/Maariv: 8:00 PM Visiting hours: 10am -1pm and 5pm -8pm Hesped will take place Tuesday evening June 15 at Ohr Hamizrach at which time the avelim will not be at the house. Mincha maariv at 7:45 followed by Hesped and refreshments. Bila HaMaves LaNetzach...
 Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley joined evangelical leader Pastor John Hagee, the founder and chairman of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), on a solidarity mission to the Jewish state over the weekend. The CUFI delegation said on its website last week that it would visit communities “impacted by the recent fighting between Hamas and Israel, meet with leaders representing various viewpoints across the Israeli political spectrum, and visit several holy sites in Jerusalem.” Haley, who is expected by many to run in the Republican primaries ahead of the 2024 presidential election, said on Sunday from southern Israel that “Israelis have the right to feel safe and defend themselves. We’re not going to let this go. We will make sure that w...
Last week, a woman called me asking if Agudah was aware of any government grants for day camp tuition. She needs to send her son to a day camp this summer, but could not afford the tuition. The very next day, an accountant responded to this newsletter by sharing with me the June 2nd IRS COVID Tax Tip. In it, the IRS details how, for 2021 only, qualifying families may be eligible to receive up to $8,000 as a refundable tax credit to cover employment-related childcare expenses including…day camp tuition! The (currently) single-year enhancements to the Child and Dependent Care tax credit were included in the American Rescue Plan Act enacted earlier this year. The changes include a significantly higher tax credit amount and allows qualifying families earning up to $125,000 to rec...
FBI Director Christopher Wray promised the bureau would do “everything they possibly can” to declassify information related to any connections between Saudi Arabia’s government and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more Join BJL on WhatsApp Groups: Click here to Join an official BJL WhatsApp group for breaking news as it happens The 20th anniversary of the al Qaeda terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people is approaching, and family members of the victims have spent years seeking information about the role that certain members of Saudi intelligence may have played in facilitating the operation, with the Justice Department citing state secrets privilege i...
Blue Origin, the space flight company founded and owned by Jeff Bezos, is giving a seat on its very first human flight next month to an individual who pledged a winning bid of $28 million at an auction Saturday. The company announced the win on Twitter following the livestreamed auction, which lasted less than 10 minutes after opening at $4.9 million, with more than 20 bidders participating. Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more Join BJL on WhatsApp Groups: Click here to Join an official BJL WhatsApp group for breaking news as it happens That came after nearly 7,600 people from 159 countries had registered to bid on a seat for the July 20 space flight by the time registration closed Thursda...
The sponsor of the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline pulled the plug on the contentious project Wednesday after Canadian officials failed to persuade President Joe Biden to reverse his cancellation of its permit on the day he took office. Calgary-based TC Energy said it would work with government agencies “to ensure a safe termination of and exit” from the partially built line, which was to transport crude from the oil sand fields of western Canada to Steele City, Nebraska. Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more Join BJL on WhatsApp Groups: Click here to Join an official BJL WhatsApp group for breaking news as it happens Construction on the 1,200-mile (1,930-kilometer) pipeline began last year whe...
The U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) has hired a retired Secret Service agent to oversee event planning, as the department works to make changes following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. The agency announced the hiring of Wesley Schwark in a statement on Thursday. The department said he will “lead USCP’s major event planning, to include National Special Security Events.” “Mr. Schwark’s 25-year law enforcement career will help us improve our now Department-wide operations planning processes,” acting Chief Yogananda Pittman said in a statement. Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more Join BJL on WhatsApp Groups: Click here to Join an official BJL WhatsApp group for bre...
President Biden will host German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House next month, his third in-person visit with a foreign leader in Washington since taking office at the beginning of this year. White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced Friday that Biden would meet with Merkel, who is in her final year as chancellor, on July 15 and that the visit “will affirm the deep bilateral ties between the United States and Germany.” Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more Join BJL on WhatsApp Groups: Click here to Join an official BJL WhatsApp group for breaking news as it happens “The leaders will discuss their commitment to close cooperation on a range of common challenges, i...
Organizers of the contentious flag march set to take place in Yerushalayim next week said Friday that they reached an agreement with the police on the nationalist parade’s route. The march will begin on Tuesday at HaNevi’im St. and head toward Damascus Gate, where participants will dance with Israeli flags. Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more Join BJL on WhatsApp Groups: Click here to Join an official BJL WhatsApp group for breaking news as it happens The participants won’t enter through that Old City entrance, but instead will head toward the Shaar Yafo, the organizers said in a statement. Participants will then march from Shaar Yafo toward the Kosel through the Old City, organizers ...
In an unlikely twist to Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-Minn.) recent equation of democratic states such as the United States and Israel with the Taliban and Hamas, the latter group has taken the lawmaker to task following her comments regarding alleged war crimes. While Omar faced mild critique from 12 of her Jewish Democrat House colleagues who asked her to “clarify her statement,” Hamas labeled her comments “peculiar” and even her attempt to walk them back was not enough for Gaza’s terrorist rulers, reported The Times of Israel. Join BJL on WhatsApp Status: Click here to Join BJL status for engagements, births, deals, levayos, events & more Join BJL on WhatsApp Groups: Click here to Join an official BJL WhatsApp group for breaking news as it happens...
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