Baltimore, MD - Mar. 23, 2023 - Six construction workers killed in a crash on I-695 Wednesday have been identified by the police. All were contracted highway employees working on the inner loop near Security Boulevard in Woodlawn. Lisa Adrienna Lea, 54, lost control of her vehicle after hitting another while changing lanes, subsequently crashing into the construction zone and killing the workers. Lea is currently hospitalized at Shock Trauma, and it is unconfirmed whether speed was a factor. The Baltimore County State's Attorney is reviewing the case to determine if criminal charges should be filed.
Baltimore City Council president Nick Mosby believes the city should look at day laborers to fill some vacant city jobs. It's been more than a year since city sanitation had to roll back services like weekly recycling. Mosby told C4 and Bryan Nehman on Thursday that he endorses the bill to use day laborers to fill up to 700 vacancies at five different agencies, including the Department of Public Works, to help collect recycling and trash. He also noted that this would be a temporary fix. A city-commissioned study last year found the agency is short about 100 workers. At a hearing on Wednesday, department heads and labor union officials cited concerns over training and liability issues with using day workers.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is walking back his characterization of Russia’s war in Ukraine as a “territorial dispute,” following criticism from a number of fellow Republicans who expressed concern about the potential 2024 presidential candidate’s dismissive description of the conflict. In excerpts of an interview with Piers Morgan set to air Thursday on Fox Nation, DeSantis said his earlier comments referenced ongoing fighting in the eastern Donbas region, as well as Russia’s 2014 seizure of Crimea. Ukraine’s borders are internationally recognized, including by the United Nations. “What I’m referring to is where the fighting is going on now, which is that eastern border region Donbas, and then Crimea, and you ha...
 Baltimore, MD – Mar. 19, 2023 - It is with deep regret and sorrow that Baltimore Jewish Life (BJL) informs the community of the petira of Rabbi Moshe Juravel, z"l, husband of Mrs. Shulamis Juravel, and father of Pinchas Ephraim Juravel, Yisrael Meir Juravel, Hadassah Shifra Yaged, Sora Leah Matthew, Shmuel Z. Juravel, Yehudis Brocho Schreiber, Esther Rivkah Stern, Miriam Rochel Aron, Devorah Malka Gruskin, and Shoshanna Tova Klein and brother of Mrs. Shulamis Schmeltzer, Rabbi Dovid Juravel, Rabbi Avrohom Juravel and Mrs. Leah Israel  Shiva will be observed at 6018 Clover Road, Baltimore, Md, 21215Shacharis: 7:00AM Thursday, Rosh Chodesh: 6:40AM)Mincha: 7:05PMMaariv: 8:10PM Bila HaMaves LaNetzach...The family of Rabbi Juravel, Z'L, is requesting that if anyone has a...
Antisemitic incidents in the United States have reached the highest level ever recorded, according to a study by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). Cases surged to historic levels in 2022. There were 3,697 incidents reported across the US last year, an increase of 36 percent compared to 2021, which was also a record-setting year. According to new data released this week in ADL’s Audit of Antisemitic Incidents, on average, 10 incidents took place for each day in 2022 – the highest level of antisemitic activity since ADL started keeping records in 1979. The trend follows an uptick of “hate and vitriol directed against the American Jewish community over the last five years,” ADL noted. The advocacy organization highlighted that this is the third time in the past fiv...
Georgia senators saved a measure to include the IHRA definition of antisemitism in the sate’s hate crimes law on Thursday, after it failed to pass the state Senate earlier in the week. The bill had been removed by its co-sponsors, state Reps. Esther Panitch and John Carson, after the Senate Judiciary Committee adopted an amendment from Senator Ed Setzler on Monday that altered the IHRA definition of antisemitism, replacing it with an explanation of antisemitism that defined discrimination against Jews as only the “negative perception of Jews instead of a ‘certain’ perception.'” “[Setzler] defines antisemitism as only the negative perception of Jews," Panitch said, according to Fox5. "There are plenty of positive perceptions of Jews that ...
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant will make a statement to the media this evening (Thursday) in which he will call for a halt to the legislation changing the composition of the judicial selection committee, which selects new justices for the Supreme Court. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to make an "important statement" at 8 pm tonight. Netanyahu was scheduled to fly to London this evening, but has pushed his flight back to 4 am tomorrow morning. Gallant and Prime Minister Netanyahu have held talks in the last two weeks which have been called "difficult." Gallant presented the Prime Minister with alarming data on the effect of the judicial reform legislation on the willingness of IDF reserve officers and soldiers to volunteer and report for duty. Yediot Aharonot reported ...
Baltimore, MD - Mar. 23, 2023 - An Orthodox Jewish man was robbed in broad daylight yesterday outside Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion. The attacker stole the man's yarmulka and Gemara. Baltimore Shomrim were quickly alerted and tracked the thief, directing police to his location. Although the suspect resisted arrest, officers eventually detained him. The victim was not seriously injured, and the assailant now faces multiple charges.
Israel’s parliament on Thursday passed the first of several laws that make up its contentious judicial overhaul as protesters opposing the changes staged another day of demonstrations aimed at raising alarm over what they see as the country’s descent toward autocracy. Thousands of people protested throughout the country, blocking traffic on main highways and scuffling with police in unrest that shows no sign of abating, especially as the overhaul moves ahead. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition approved legislation that would protect the Israeli leader from being deemed unfit to rule because of his corruption trial and claims of a conflict of interest surrounding his involvement in the legal changes. Critics say the law is tailor-made for Netanyahu, encourages...
A rigorous new study that examined the health effects of coffee consumption found good news and bad news for coffee lovers. The research showed that coffee has striking effects on physical activity levels, causing people to move more, taking, on average, 1,000 extra steps a day — a significant boost in activity that might help explain why coffee consumption has long been linked to better health. But the study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, did find some downsides to a daily cuppa. It showed that people lost about 36 minutes of nightly sleep on days when they drank coffee — and the more coffee they drank, the less they slept. The research also looked at coffee’s effect on heart palpitations, a relatively common experience for healthy coffee drin...
Question #1: Snail Mail I mailed some hamantashen to a non-frum relative, well before Purim, as a “kiruv” gesture of friendship. The efficient post office has not yet delivered it. I am concerned that (1) as a result, my relative may eat chometz on Pesach; (2) I will be in violation of owning chometz on Pesach.   Question #2: Moonshine in the First Month! The police confiscated some contraband moonshine in the beginning of April, issuing a criminal citation for the violation. Subsequently, the criminal charges were dropped. On Pesach, the police appeared at the door of the moonshine vendor to return the liquor, who told them that he could not receive the merchandise on his Jewish holiday. They came back to return it after Pesach. May he sell the liquor?   Questi...
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the ninth time to the highest levels for federal funds rates since 2007. This is a move to help curb inflation amid the collapse of two U.S. banks. Director of General Economics and Trade at the Cato Institute Scott Lincicome joined The National Desk’s Jan Jeffcoat to discuss. “It just got tougher because the banks are going to be tightening credit conditions already but the Fed is still worried about inflation,” he said. “Investors are going to be struggling with the same type of uncertainty the Fed is struggling with trying to balance that inflation-fighting with not causing the economy to really seize up and tip us into a deep recession.” The Federal Reserve hiked interest rates on Wednesday by a quarter perc...
The Federal Reserve raised its key rate by another quarter point Wednesday, bringing it to the highest level in 15 years as part of an ongoing effort to ease inflation by making borrowing more expensive. If you have money to save, you’ll probably earn a bit more interest on it, but the increase will make it even costlier to borrow for homes, autos and other purchases. The interest rate increase comes at a time when credit card debt is at record levels. Here’s what the increase means for your credit card bill and what you can do if you’re carrying debt: HOW DOES THE FED DECISION AFFECT CREDIT CARD DEBT? The Federal Reserve doesn’t directly dictate how much interest you pay on your credit card debt. But the Fed’s rate is the basis for you...
Approval of President Joe Biden has dipped slightly since a month ago, nearing the lowest point of his presidency as his administration tries to project a sense of stability while confronting a pair of bank failures and inflation that remains stubbornly high. That’s according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, which shows there have been modest fluctuations in support for Biden over the past several months. The president notched an approval rating of 38% in the new poll, after 45% said they approved in February and 41% in January. His ratings hit their lowest point of his presidency last July, at 36%, as the full weight of rising gasoline, food and other costs began to hit U.S. households. In recent...
The CEO of TikTok made a rare public appearance Thursday before a U.S. Congressional committee, where he faced a grilling on data security and user safety while he makes his own case for why the hugely popular video-sharing app shouldn’t be banned. Shou Zi Chew’s testimony comes at a crucial time for the company, which has acquired 150 million American users but is under increasing pressure from U.S. officials. TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have been swept up in a wider geopolitical battle between Beijing and Washington over trade and technology. In her opening statement, Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican, assailed the social platform’s trustworthiness because of its close ties to Beijing. “Mr. Chew, you are here because the American ...
With extremism and antisemitism on the rise across Florida, community leaders are putting their focus back on Holocaust education. Florida has long required that students be taught about the Holocaust inside the classroom but some feel more can be done to make the material more tangible for students. WPEC's Lena Salzbank went to Florida Atlantic University and found many college students couldn't answer simple questions about the Holocaust. Approximately 6 million European Jews and at least 5 million prisoners of war were killed in extermination camps under the rule of Adolf Hitler, Y'sh. That's why Ari Fixler with the Amud Aish Memorial Museum says he wants to see a Holocaust museum in Palm Beach County.
There needs to be something they c...
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 21, 2023 - It is with regret that Baltimore Jewish Life (BJL) informs the community of the petira of Mr. Edward Furman,  z"l, husband of Helen Furman, a"h, father of Yosef (Jessica) Furman, Rachel (Ahron) Lewkowicz and Phyllis Meyer.  The levayah will take place at Levinson’s, Thursday, March 23, 2023, at 9:30AM.  Shiva will be observed at 2702 Waco Court, Baltimore, MD, 21209.The family requests no visitors between 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and after 10:00 p.m. Minyanim: Thursday: Mincha/Maariv: 7:05 PM Friday:        Shacharis -7:00 AM Friday: Mincha at 5:00 PM. Motzaei Shabbos: Maariv -8:07 PM   Sunday: Shacharis 8:00 AM Sunday: Mincha/Maariv: 7:10 PM Monday & Tues: Shacharis -7:00 AM Mo...
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Wednesday that the risk of a nuclear clash was at its highest level in decades, warning that Moscow was in a "de-facto" open conflict with Washington over the war in Ukraine. Relations between Russia and the United States, long strained, have worsened even further since Russia's invasion of Ukraine last year. In February, Moscow pulled out of the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty with Washington. Speaking at an event entitled "A World Without START: What's Next," Ryabkov said there was "no question" of Russia restoring the treaty for now, criticizing what he called Washington's "hostile course" towards Moscow. "I wouldn't want to dive into a discussion about whether the likelihood of a nuclear c...
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