|
October 14, 2021 at 9:05 pm
Every action has a reaction. What I do has a real impact, not just for myself, but on those around me and on future generations.
|
October 14, 2021 at 8:56 pm
An advocacy group that warns about the threat of a nuclear Iran has sounded the alarm after the US Treasury Department last week without explanation lifted sanctions on two firms that produced ballistic missiles for the Iranian regime.
United Against Nuclear Iran is questioning why the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFA) suddenly announced it would be removing sanctions on Mammut Industrial Group and its subsidiary Mammut Diesel.
Both companies were sanctioned in September 2020 for “providing support to an entity in Iran’s ballistic missile program.”
The Treasury Department said at the time that “Mammut Industries and Mammut Diesel are key producers and suppliers of military-grade, dual-use goods for Iran’s missile programs.”
“The delisting ...
|
October 14, 2021 at 8:37 pm
This week’s parshah begins with Hashem telling Avraham Avinu to leave his home and that he would be greatly rewarded for doing so. Avaraham obeyed and, by doing so, he passed one of his monumental 10 nisyonos (tests).
Did Avraham, the father & first of the Avos, really need to be bribed with the promise of being rewarded in order to do Hashem’s will? Furthermore, wouldn’t any of us relocate as well, if we received a nevuah directly from Hashem, not only instructing us to do so, but also, with the absolute promise that doing so will result in tremendous wealth, honor, etc? Why was this considered one of Avaraham Avinu’s legendary nisyonos?
R’ Yoel Gold once featured a video presenting those who were personally involved in the following, true, story: Sefar...
|
October 14, 2021 at 8:34 pm
I was once meeting with a group of community activists prior to the holiday season. We were discussing the needs of individuals and how to best appropriate resources.
Among those being assessed, the “Goldberg family” came up. They had fallen upon some difficult times and had applied for assistance.
I mentioned that my sole interaction with them had occurred about 2 years prior. I was driving carpool for my daughter and friends when my car tire went flat. I pulled off to the side and went out to check out the damage.
It was quite stressful to be on the side of a narrow, winding road with a minivan full of 8 year old girls.
Let me add that this was in the days before cellphones….
Despite scores of other carpool drivers passing by not one person stopped to offer help. ...
|
October 14, 2021 at 5:21 pm
Former Housing and Construction Minister Yaakov Litzman criticized Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked's decision to freeze the promotion of the construction of the haredi city in southern Kiryat Gat.
"The haredi sector deserves to live not only with the Bedouin, they are constantly pushing us for money. Our sector is short 100,000 housing units. Therefore, Minister Deri and I planned to build in Kiryat Gat, and now Elkin and Shaked committed a heinous act and took it away. A day will come and Abbas will want Kasif as well," Litzman said in an interview with Kol Chai radio.
Litzman criticized the conduct of the government and said that "there is no one person who annoys me in the government, rather there are many. Every day there's a new attack from the government. Every ...
|
October 14, 2021 at 5:14 pm
Baltimore, MD – Oct. 14, 2021 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Rabbi Yonah and Aliza Sklare on the birth of a son.
Mazel Tov grandparents Dr. Doniel and Yehudis Sklare and Dr. Ricky and Linda Goldfarb
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
|
October 14, 2021 at 5:14 pm
The global supply chain nightmare has appeared to increase traffic at the Port of Baltimore rather than hinder it.
Gov. Larry Hogan spoke with the media on Thursday. During the session, Hogan emphasized that the Port of Baltimore is prepared to handle cargo from other ports across the country while also seeing an increase in business.
"The Port of Baltimore is setting records and increasing traffic as other ports are backed up across," Hogan said. "So we are actually picking up more business."
A dredging project at the port and the use of larger cranes to handle bigger ships has helped pick up more business.
"What we did as part of the supply chain issue in Baltimore, is made sure we dredged the ports," Hogan said. "We brought in bigger cranes, we beefed up the operation so it works be...
|
October 14, 2021 at 5:13 pm
An attempted ATM burglary took place at Security Square Mall early Thursday morning, police said.
Baltimore County police said they were dispatched to the 6900 block of Security Boulevard just after 3:15 a.m. for a reported burglary. The unknown number of suspects drove through one of the doors leading into the mall. Suspects hit the ATM several times with the vehicle and unsuccessfully tried to lift the machine into the vehicle. The suspects drove through another set of doors in the mall after the failed attempt.
This is not the first time this week Baltimore County police have had to investigate an ATM burglary. On Wednesday, a van crashed through a 7-Eleven on Beaver Dam Road in Cockeysville. The suspects left the scene with ATM inside the vehicle.
Police continue to investigate the ...
|
October 14, 2021 at 5:13 pm
Israel’s Coronavirus Cabinet is set to convene next week to deliberate on a number of possible steps to reduce restrictions on public activity, in the wake of the decline in the number of new cases and seriously ill patients.
On Thursday, the number of COVID patients in serious condition fell below 400 for the first time in months, with just 385 patients listed in serious or critical condition.
Health Ministry officials are currently drawing up a list of recommendations for the Coronavirus Cabinet, which is tentatively scheduled to meet for deliberations next Monday.
Among the possible changes being discussed, Channel 12 reported Thursday night, are changes to the Green Pass system, a move away from mass quarantines, and the reopening of the country to foreign tourism.
...
|
October 14, 2021 at 5:13 pm
A number of anti-Trump Republican officials are expected to endorse Democratic lawmakers in next year’s midterm elections.
According to a report by Reuters, the rogue Republicans, will offer their endorsements on Thursday for a number of Democratic incumbents who are expected to face serious challenges in the 2022 midterm elections.
The Republican officials in question hope to prevent their party from retaking Congress after losing control of the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterms, and narrowly losing control of the Senate in the 2020 elections.
Dubbing themselves the “Renew America Movement”, the Republican officials told Reuters they will in some cases be endorsing Republicans lawmakers who opposed President Donald Trump, including Wyoming...
|
October 14, 2021 at 1:38 pm
Actually, Avraham Avinu was the first oleh chadash (new immigrant) to the Land of Israel. This week, we recognize this fact officially - Avraham's "aliyah day" - in parashat Lech Lecha. Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin writes that all the challenges Avraham overcame - all the tests he passed - have given us strength throughout the generations to overcome those same challenges and pass those same tests. So, too, regarding aliyah: "Every person's sudden awakening to get up and make aliyah to the Holy Land has its source in the power of Avraham to meet the challenge of 'Go forth from your land.'"Ever since that first "Lech-Lecha," millions have continued to follow in the footsteps of Avraham. Among them were Chasidim of the Baal Shem Tov, students of the Vilna Gaon, Jews of Yemen i...
|
October 14, 2021 at 12:11 pm
Stink bugs get all the glory. But they're not the only insects itching to make a beeline into your house when winter knocks at the front door.
Brown marmorated stink bugs cause multiple problems when they're outside chewing through fruit orchards as if they're at an all-you-can-eat buffet. Once they're inside, you likely won't even know they're there — unless you squash them.
Don't do that.
There are much better ways to stop stink bugs. Some of the same strategies work on these five fall invaders:
Another Stinker: Asian Lady Beetles
The multicolored Asian lady beetle can be a real stinker, too. It oozes a bad-smelling orange liquid from its leg joints.
Generally considered beneficial, they feed on plant pests — e...
|
October 14, 2021 at 10:10 am
A gas leak was found at Pikesville Middle School, which is dismissing early Thursday, officials say.
The school will let students out at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 14.
Firefighters found a gas leak in the kitchen at the school in the 7700 block of Seven Mile Lane, officials said. Evening and after-school activities at Pikesville Middle School are canceled.
|
October 14, 2021 at 9:50 am
IDF soldiers from the Netzah Yehuda Battalion on Wednesday celebrated the conclusion of the Tractate Brachot in the Babylonian Talmud - which they had completed in one hour.
The learning was part of an initiative by the "Tzalash" association. The word "Tzalash" usually indicates something unusually praiseworthy. Here, the association named itself Tzalash, as an acronym for "Tzava Leshem Shamayim," or "An army for the sake of Heaven."
As part of the initiative, the battalion's soldiers gathered for a joint learning session led by Rabbi Peretz Einhorn, Tzalash's chairman, and after dividing the tractate up amongst themselves, the soldiers completed it within the hour. Following the learning session, they held an emotional celebration.
"The cooperation with the Netzah Yehuda asso...
|
October 14, 2021 at 9:50 am
President Herzog: “Despite the challenges dictated by the coronavirus pandemic, Jews all around the world have interpreted the situation as a call to come here, as an opportunity to come home. And since this is the case, this is the best possible time—indeed, this is our duty, as the State of Israel—to encourage innovation, employment, and integration into industry among the men and women making aliyah to Israel.”
Today, President Isaac Herzog participated in an event in honor of Yom HaAliyah hosted by Gvahim, a non-profit that provides networks, tools, knowledge, and support to new immigrants and returning expatriates to help them find employment or build businesses in Israel. Also participating were Aliyah and Integration Minister Pnina Tameno-Shete MK, Gvahim ch...
|
October 14, 2021 at 9:38 am
A new partnership deal was struck between United Hatzalah and City Transformer, a company that makes all-electric compact vehicles for city centers. The agreement will see the EMS organization become the first corporate customer of the innovative urban vehicle. According to the agreement, the vehicles will be offered for use by the organization’s volunteers in a shared fleet vehicle format. The deal is for 1,000 units to be used in various cities in Israel and is worth $22 million. The deal will allow United Hatzalah’s network of volunteers to locate one of the City Transformer car-sharing vehicles and use it to respond to medical emergencies in the vicinity when needed.
The initial solution that the City Transformer was intended for, was to alleviate the congestion caus...
|
October 14, 2021 at 9:33 am
Police commandant Amnon Alkelai, who was head of the police force’s operations unit when the Lag Ba'omer disaster occurred in Meron, appeared before the state commission of inquiry into the incident on Thursday morning.
According to Alkelai, Israel Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai rejected his recommendation and that of Northern District Commissioner Shimon Lavie to limit the number of people permitted to gather in Meron on Lag Ba’omer. Alkelai told the commission that Shabtai insisted that there were only two options: either allow the event to proceed unimpeded, with as many people present as wanted to attend; or cancel it entirely.
“My recommendation was to limit the number of participants,” Alkelai said. “But the Commissioner vetoed the ide...
|
October 14, 2021 at 9:22 am
Millions of retirees on Social Security will get a 5.9% boost in benefits for 2022. The biggest cost-of-living adjustment in 39 years follows a burst in inflation as the economy struggles to shake off the drag of the coronavirus pandemic.
The COLA, as it’s commonly called, amounts to an added $92 a month for the average retired worker, according to estimates Wednesday from the Social Security Administration. It’s an abrupt break from a long lull in inflation that saw cost-of-living adjustments averaging just 1.65% a year over the past 10 years.
With the increase, the estimated average Social Security payment for a retired worker will be $1,657 a month next year. A typical couple’s benefits would rise by $154 to $2,753 per month.
|
October 14, 2021 at 9:19 am
A building fire that raged out of control for hours overnight in a major city in southern Taiwan left 46 people dead and at least 41 others injured, authorities said Thursday.
Flames and smoke billowed from the lower floors of the 13-story building as firefighters tried to douse the blaze from the street and aerial platforms in the city of Kaohsiung. A fire department statement described the fire, which started about 3 a.m., as “extremely fierce” and said several floors had been destroyed.
The death toll rose steadily during the day as rescue workers searched the combined commercial and residential building. By late afternoon, authorities said 32 bodies had been sent to the morgue, while a further 14 people who showed no signs of life were among 55 taken to the hospital. In T...
|
October 14, 2021 at 9:13 am
Jobless claims fell below 300,000 last week for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, a sign companies are holding tightly to their workers amid strong demand for labor.
Claims, a proxy for layoffs, decreased to 293,000 last week from 329,000 a week earlier, the Labor Department said Thursday. Claims are at the lowest level since the coronavirus pandemic took hold in March 2020. The four-week moving average of claims, which smooths week-to-week variations, fell to 334,250, also the lowest since March 2020.
The report showed that the number of continuing unemployment claims, a proxy for those receiving benefits. That is a pandemic low as well.
Layoffs are easing from last year’s high levels as companies hold on to workers they have and attempt to fill position...
