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January 22, 2023 at 11:55 am
President Biden and his son Hunter have made history as the first president-son duo to be simultaneously – but separately – under federal investigation.
Attorney General Merrick Garland last week appointed former U.S. Attorney Robert Hur as special counsel to investigate the president’s possible unauthorized removal and improper retention of classified documents and records discovered at the Penn Biden Center in Washington D.C., and in his private residence in Wilmington, Delaware.
Separately, Hunter Biden has been under federal investigation since 2018 for his tax affairs – an investigation that was predicated, in part, by suspicious activity reports (SARs) regarding some foreign transactions. Those SARs, according to sources familiar wit...
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January 22, 2023 at 11:49 am
בֶּן הֵא הֵא אוֹמֵר, לְפוּם צַעֲרָא אגרא: (אבות ה:כג)
Last week, we saw how Ben Hei Hei links the agra (reward) received for mitzvah fulfillment to the tza’ar — the effort and pain — involved.”[1] The obvious question is why this linkage exists. Why is the reward proportional to the tza’ar?
The answer to this question hinges on how we understand the agra referred to by the mishnah. What type of sechar does it refer to?
Reward
The standard explanation[2] is that the mishnah refers to the sechar given to us by Hashem. Hashem rewards us most for the mitzvah fulfillment we find challenging and painful. The Sefer Chassidim[3] explains that Hashem is fully aware and appreciative of our efforts, not just what we accomplish...
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January 22, 2023 at 11:49 am
The night had finally arrived. After centuries of persecution and brutal tyranny the night of our liberation was finally here. Moshe hastily delivered divine instructions for this dramatic evening of independence. To transform this evening into the anniversary of Jewish identity, ceremonies and rituals were necessary. That night in Egypt, the first seder was conducted, and since then, every annual Pesach seder across the globe and across time has recreated that epic night of Jewish nationhood.
In addition to observing rituals such as the Pesach sacrifice, and the unleavened matzo bread, we were also instructed to solicit gold, silver and linens from our Egyptian “friends” and neighbors. Oddly, these essential materials were supplied by our former Egyptian nemeses rather than d...
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January 22, 2023 at 11:01 am
Facebook was found to do the most in removing antisemitic content on the platform out of a ranking of other social media outlets, as compiled by Fighting Online Antisemitism (FOA).
Facebook, owned by Meta, has removed 35% of all antisemitic content in 2022 reported to the platform by the FOA. This is a significant increase from 2021 when it removed just 23% of reported antisemitic content.
In addition to Facebook, however, Meta also owns Instagram, which also removed a significant amount of antisemitic content. Altogether, Meta removed around 52% of all reported content.
Coming in second place on the ranking is TikTok, which removed 33% of antisemitic content – a similar rate to 2021.
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January 22, 2023 at 10:47 am
"I intend to continue with all my strength to contribute to the public and to the coalition," Shas chairman MK Aryeh Deri said on Sunday in response to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's removing him from the government in wake of a ruling by the High Court of Justice last week that disqualified Deri due to his criminal past.
"Honored prime minister, I hear in your voice the sadness regarding the High Court's ruling and its consequences," Deri said.
Deri: It was clear we would adhere to court's ruling
"Soon after the ruling was published on Wednesday I was in my home, and at a very early stage, when some had already read the ruling and some had not, it was clear to both of us that we would adhere to the court's ruling, there was no doubt in this ...
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January 22, 2023 at 10:46 am
Hezbollah is claiming that it has caught a former operative in the organization who spied for Israel, according to a report in the Al-Akhbar newspaper, which is associated with the Lebanese terror organization
According to the organization, the operative, who is being called "Hassan A'." transferred information to Israeli intelligence regarding the location of missile warehouses for two years, in addition to information about the organization's operatives, in exchange for an accumulative sum of 15 thousand dollars.
According to the report which was shared by Kan News, the first contact with Hassan was made through Whatsapp messenger in April 2020. After successfully executing the trial mission, he was asked over the phone by his recruiters about his work in Hizbo...
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January 22, 2023 at 10:22 am
In his new memoir set to be released on Tuesday, former United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo writes that the US relationship with Israel is exceptionally important, even more so than those with the United Kingdom, according to a report by The Foward, who obtained an advance copy of the book.
At the same time, the former official also accuses Benjamin Netanyahu of skewing the US administration's commitment to the security of Israel for political gain and by inciting anxiety.
According to the report, Pompeo writes that Netanyahu purposely leaked a nonexistent pledge to advance a formal defense treaty between the US and Israel for political reasons. Pompeo writes that the Israeli announcement following a hastily planned 90-minute meeting between the two in Lisbon, Por...
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January 22, 2023 at 10:19 am
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to dismiss Health and Interior Minister Aryeh Deri during Sunday morning's cabinet meeting.
According to a report by Channel 12 News' Amit Segal, the dismissal will take effect on Tuesday morning and was coordinated with Deri, who is unwilling to resign.
Earlier it was reported that Deri is expected to participate in Sunday's cabinet meeting.
Last week, the Supreme Court ruled that Shas chairman Aryeh Deri may not serve as a minister in the current government following his conviction for tax offenses one year ago.
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January 22, 2023 at 10:19 am
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating the Abbott Laboratories infant formula plant in Michigan that was shut down for months last year due to contamination, the company confirmed.
The factory’s closure in February 2022 was a key cause of a nationwide baby formula shortage that forced parents to seek formula from food banks, friends and doctor’s offices. Production restarted in June.
The Justice Department has informed Abbott of its investigation and the company is “cooperating fully,” Abbott spokesperson Scott Stoffel said via email. He declined to provide further details.
The investigation was first reported by The Wall Street Journal, which said the Justice Department’s consumer protection branch is looking into conduct at the Sturgis, Michigan, pl...
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January 22, 2023 at 10:18 am
Swastikas were drawn on student desks at three separate schools in Montgomery County this week, Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight said.
In a statement, MCPS and the Board of Education said that students and staff worked to immediately remove the drawings and that "discipline in alignment with the MCPS Student Code of Conduct was assigned."
"As we fight these repeated acts of hate, we must challenge one another to learn and understand what antisemitism, hatred, and racism are and the harm they cause," the statement said.
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January 21, 2023 at 9:20 pm
Baltimore, MD - Jan. 21, 2022 – On Erev Shabbos, an Amazon driver discarded packages tossing them in and around two dumpsters and even abandoning some on the streets of the Ranchleigh neighborhood. When discovered this evening, not surprisingly, area residents made it their business to remedy the situation and have already delivered at least 35 packages to their rightful owners. Another case of Mi K’amcha Baltimore
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January 21, 2023 at 8:34 pm
Baltimore, MD - Jan. 21, 2023 - Watch the video highlights and photo essay of the Ner Israel 89th Dinner.
Video by Avi Dear for Ner Israel.
To view essay of Photos by Israel Orange Photography & Jeff Cohn Photography Click here
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January 21, 2023 at 8:33 pm
White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain is expected to step down after serving President Joe Biden for two years, Fox News reported on Saturday, citing multiple reports.
Klain's impending resignation is the most significant departure of a key power player in the Biden White House since the President took office in 2021, though Fox News said it has not independently confirmed Klain’s departure.
Klain, a longtime Biden confidant and Democratic operative, was the longest-serving chief of staff to a Democratic president. He previously served as Biden's chief of staff when he was vice president during the Obama administration and is an attorney and former lobbyist.
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Jewish parents, he is a graduate of Harvard Law Sch...
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January 21, 2023 at 8:00 pm
After being rejected by B'nei Yisrael "out of anguish of spirit and hard work," Moshe Rabbeinu is instructed to appear once again before Paroah. Moshe responds with a logical argument, (6:12) "behold, B'nei Yisrael have not listened to me. How then will Paroah listen to me for I am of uncircumcised lips?" Rashi comments that this is one of the 10 instances of the use of á fortiori argument, better known to most as kal vachomer, in the Torah. The full listing is discussed in the midrash (Bereishis Rabba 92). However, many ask that this kal vachomer does not follow logically. The Torah tells us exactly why B'nei Yisrael did not listen Moshe. If this reason did not apply to Paroah, then Moshe's logic appears faulty.
Sefas Emes tak...
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January 21, 2023 at 8:00 pm
In an editorial published Friday, the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board showed its support for the new Israeli government’s judicial reforms.
“Every time a right-wing government wins an election these days, the immediate refrain from the dominant global media is that it’s a threat to democracy,” the article opens, adding that the new government is getting this treatment now. It explains that the current dispute over the Supreme Court illustrates why the issue is more complicated than is portrayed in the media.
The article proceeds to explain how the Israeli Supreme Court holds more power than its American counterpart while not being bound by a constitution, knocking down bills it sees merely as “Unreasonable.” The article adds tha...
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January 21, 2023 at 7:59 pm
Rioters in Atlanta set off fireworks and threw rocks at the Atlanta Police Foundation Saturday evening, according FOX 5 Atlanta.
The incident comes after an activist, Manuel Esteban Paez Teran, 26, was killed by police after allegedly refusing demands by authorities on Wednesday and allegedly fired a gun at state troopers at the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.
"An individual, without warning, shot a Georgia State Patrol trooper," Georgia Bureau of Investigations Michael Register told reporters earlier this week. "Other law enforcement personnel returned fire in self-defense and evacuated the trooper to a safe area. The individual who fired upon law enforcement and shot the trooper was killed in the exchange of gunfire."
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January 21, 2023 at 7:46 pm
Governor Wes Moore unveiled an ambitious budget this week that includes money that could help tackle Baltimore City’s vacant home crisis.
Tuesday will mark the tragic anniversary of the deaths of three Baltimore City firefighters.
“I really hope they wake up and they take this as a step in the right direction,” said Rachel Butrim.
In December lawyers for the families of the slain firefighters filed notice of their plan to sue the city and the state arguing the tragedy was preventable, and the vacant home should’ve never been standing.
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January 21, 2023 at 7:30 pm
Federal prosecutors responded to former City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby's attorneys' request to withdraw as counsel. In their response, the government argues at least one of Mosby's original representation needs to stay on to avoid to delays.
The government does not object to A. Scott Bolden's request to withdraw. He is one of six defense attorneys on the case, and has drawn the ire of Judge Lydia Griggsby on multiple occasions.
At a hearing Tuesday, Judge Griggsby admonished Bolden for violating various court rules and gave him until Jan. 31 to explain why she shouldn't hold him in contempt of court.
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January 21, 2023 at 7:21 pm
Justice Department investigators on Friday found additional classified material after conducting a search of President Joe Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware, home, the president’s personal attorney said in a statement.
Bob Bauer said that during the search, which took place over nearly 12 hours Friday, “DOJ took possession of materials it deemed within the scope of its inquiry, including six items consisting of documents with classification markings and surrounding materials, some of which were from the President’s service in the Senate and some of which were from his tenure as Vice President. DOJ also took for further review personally handwritten notes from the vice-presidential years.”
Those six items are in addition to materials previously found at Biden&rsqu...
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January 21, 2023 at 7:11 pm
Baltimore, MD - Jan. 21, 2022 - A driver's license, passport and other miscellaneous items were found on Friday morning.
The bag containing these items was handed to the Baltimore County Police Department, Officer T. Norris. The precinct phone number is 410-887-1279.
