Jerusalem, Israel - Apr. 9, 2024 - On Rosh Chodesh Nissan in Yerushalayim, a special program at the Yeshurun Central Synagogue attracted hundreds of women from the north and south of Israel, as well as from the US.
"Women United in Prayer for Am Yisrael" was led by dynamic singer Ricka Razel with her daughter Michal and female musicians. Her brothers Aaron and Yonatan Razel are popular Israeli singers. But when Ricka stated after having eight children and running a business that when she reached her forties she had a kind of mid-life crisis and thought, “I’m going to be a grandmother soon, my life is basically over; I need to follow my passion! I knew that my real passion in life was to write music, and I began to go back to my songs." She began singing fo...
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 9, 2024 - Rabbi Ariel Sadwin offers brief reflections at the conclusion of the 2024 MD Legislative Session
Baltimore, MD – Apr. 9, 2024 - Faces of Orthodoxy is a social media initiative powered by the Orthodox Union. Launched in 2022, Faces of Orthodoxy puts a human face on Orthodox Jews by telling the day-in-the-life stories of diverse religious Jews through portrait photography, personal photos, and journal-style posts. Each season takes place in a different city in the United States. The account highlights everyday heroes of faith who share their journeys, struggles, and triumphs.
The mission of Faces of Orthodoxy is to expose the non-Jewish and non-Orthodox communities to the diversity within the Orthodox community while emphasizing the universal values we all share. The initiative also aims to inspire Orthodox Jews to be proud of who they are, what they do, and what they believe. Fa...
More than 50 people were arrested Tuesday after the Senate cafeteria was shut down by anti-Israel protesters chanting "Senate can’t eat until Gaza eats!"
The U.S. Capitol Police confirmed to Fox News that those arrested inside the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., were charged with Crowding, Obstructing, or Incommoding.
"It is illegal to demonstrate inside any of the Congressional Buildings," Capitol Police said in a statement.
A video obtained by Fox News shows demonstrators walking through the hallways of the building, raising their hands and saying "Children are starving in Gaza" and "People are dying in Gaza."
One woman was wearing a shirt that read "Biden's legacy = Genocide."
President Biden has come under pressure over th...
A new proposal for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, along with the release of hostages held by the militant group, has been met with caution from both sides, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
The plan, presented by Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns to officials from Israel, Hamas, Qatar, and Egypt in Cairo, suggests a six-week ceasefire in Gaza.
However, negotiations remain in a delicate state as significant disagreements persist between the two sides. Key points of contention include the conditions for displaced Palestinians to return to northern Gaza, the selection of Palestinian prisoners for release, and the potential permanency of the ceasefire.
The ceasefire period would see Hamas releasing 40 hostages in exchange for...
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 9, 2024 - As the world leader in certifying Sabbath mode appliances for over 30 years, STAR-K Kosher Certification recently presented several educational seminars at appliance stores that service the frum communities of Lakewood and Brooklyn, among others. In one of the heaviest appliance-buying seasons in the Orthodox world, the presentations focused on educating salespeople as to how STAR-K Sabbath modes should be used and on new initiatives and innovations that are being rolled out by manufacturers.
Sabbath mode certification is engaging and requires involvement in appliance design, engineering, and technical consulting. As STAR-K receives an increasing number of requests from appliance manufacturers for certification, STAR-K rabbanim and staff are work...
Baltimore, MD – April 9, 2024 - 12:18 PM - Continuing roadwork has closed Park Heights from Fords Lane to Strathmore. It remains open from Strathmore to Fords Lane.
Jerusalem, Israel - Apr. 9, 2024 - This morning (Tuesday), Im Tirtzu activists put on a performance titled 'Cage of the Kidnapped' together with MK Boaz Bismuth (Likud).
As part of the performance, activists dressed up as hostages entered a cage and acted out the conditions the hostages are being held under in Gaza, in order to remind the public that UNRWA had a direct hand in the abduction of Israelis from their homes 186 days ago.
The demonstration was held at the UNRWA offices near Ammunition Hill in Jerusalem. The activists called for the immediate expulsion of UNRWA offices from Israel, and for all the UNRWA services to be stopped in Jerusalem, along with a complete military victory over Hamas and the return of all hostages.
MK Bismuth, who is currently promoting a ...
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Tuesday, 9 April 2024), at the IDF Induction Base at Tel Hashomer, met with IDF recruits slated to be fighters at crossings and field observers in the various sectors.
At the start of his visit, the Prime Minister was briefed on enlistment data in the shadow of the war and was impressed by the recruits' great motivation to serve in the IDF in general, and in combat positions in particular. He then spoke with the new recruits and answered their questions.
Prime Minister Netanyahu joined the new recruits for lunch and heard from them about the induction process.
Prime Minister Netanyahu to the recruits [translated from Hebrew]:
"This is a very significant day in your lives and in the life of the state. The state exist...
Throughout the ninety-day session, the state passed a budget with $350 to $450 million in increases on the backs of motorists and tobacco users.
"We've got to stop putting the burden of the transportation trust fund on the backs of drivers alone," said Senator Justin Ready.
The state changed how juveniles are dealt with when accused of committing certain crimes, expanding punishments for 10 to 12-year-olds.
"We have to make sure that accountability is at its core, both for the children violating the law but also making sure there's accountability for the systems," Gov. Wes Moore stated.
A bill to protect highway workers passed the general assembly.
Another bill, compensating port workers, is nearing approval.
"We're making sure that they're getting the pay a...
Annapolis, MD - Apr. 9, 2024 - Maryland Gov. Wes Moore said Monday he plans to meet with members of Congress to discuss support for rebuilding the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge, which has blocked the main shipping channel at Baltimore's port for nearly two weeks.
"I'm going to be spending part of this week with our delegation going down and meeting with leaders and ranking members in the Congress and letting them know that this issue is not partisan. This is a patriotic responsibility to be able to support one of this country's great economic engines," Moore said in an interview with The Associated Press. "This is an opportunity to support a port that is directly responsible for the hiring of tens of thousands of people."
As Maryland lawmakers reached the e...
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 8, 2024:
Dear Baltimore Community,A few months ago, I wrote to you about bills I filed to address juvenile crime in Maryland. Here is the link to the letter I wrote for context:I am writing to you again to share great news from Annapolis. The House & Senate passed a comprehensive piece of legislation addressing many of our concerns and the bills I filed!Unfortunately, the Maryland General Assembly has been moving in the opposite direction over the last few years regarding addressing juvenile crime, so this is a huge win and move in the right direction. This legislation expands jurisdiction for certain crimes committed by juveniles between ages 10 and 13. Several years ago, the law was changed to not allow juveniles under the age of 13 to be char...
Click on the graphic below for a larger, printable version
Public urged not to use 'Biniki Solar Eclipse Glasses' The recalled glasses, which were sold on Amazon and in stores, are labeled with “EN ISO 12312-1:2022”
If you have them, don't use them to watch the eclipse. "Even a few seconds of viewing the sun during an eclipse can temporarily or permanently burn the macula," which is part of the retina, the Journal of the American Medical Association says.
Towson, MD (April 8, 2024) - On Monday April 8, 2024, just after midnight officers assigned to the Baltimore County Police Department Woodlawn Precinct located a stolen vehicle in the 1800 block of Belmont Ave, 21244. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver refused. The stolen vehicle proceeded onto the outer loop of I-695 traveling in the wrong direction. Officers did not follow the stolen vehicle onto the highway. After entering I-695, the stolen vehicle struck an Acura TSX. The driver of the Acura was pronounced deceased at an area hospital. I-695 Outer Loop from Exit 18 (Liberty Rd) to Interstate 795 was shut down. The officers involved were equipped with body-worn cameras. Members of the Independent Investigations Division of the Office of the A...
Discussions between Israeli and American officials regarding a potential Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) offensive in Rafah, a town in the southern Gaza Strip, are ongoing.
According to sources cited by Israeli public broadcaster Kan, no action is planned until talks with American counterparts are concluded. The prospective operation in Rafah is intricately tied to the resolution of a hostage agreement.
Israeli delegates, likely including Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer and National Security Council head Tzachi Hanegbi, are anticipated to participate in discussions. However, their departure may be delayed until the following week. This delay could hinge on the outcome of negotiations and developments in the ongoing talks with American and Qatari officials.
During recent engagem...
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant visited newly inducted soldiers at the Armored and Combat Engineering Corps today (Monday) and commented on the progress of the negotiations to secure the release of the hostages in Gaza.
"We have the highest obligation to bring our hostages back home," Gallant said. "The operational conditions that the IDF created through relentless military pressure on Hamas allow us flexibility, freedom of action and also making difficult decisions to return the hostages."
The Defense Minister added that he believes "we are at an opportune moment, but there’s another side that must agree to it.”
Gallant declared, “Afterwards will return to the fighting, and do everything we must.”
Earlier, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sent an urgent letter t...
Remember the Seventh Day
Boaz Klein, a Chabad emissary in Bariloche, Argentina, wrote to me that while thousands of Israelis pass through their Chabad House each year, he and his wife have been seeing a new and special group that they are especially happy to host: army reservists who just finished serving in Gaza.
“Each evening we prepare a barbecue with hummus, shakshuka and hot soup. Yet, it’s not just about the food. The essence of these events lies more in the heartfelt conversations that that emerge. One statement that is commonly heard here is, ‘Remember the seventh day,’ referring not only to Shabbat but to another significant seventh day – Oct. 7.
“The message is to safeguard at all costs what we all felt on that day — the heartrending p...
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 8, 2024 - (FOX45) Gas prices in Baltimore have risen by 7.5 cents per gallon in the past week, with a month-over-month increase of 28.2 cents and a year-over-year increase of 9.0 cents. Nationally, diesel prices have also increased to $4.02 per gallon. The cheapest gas station in Baltimore was $3.29/g, while the most expensive was $4.47/g. According to Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy, rising oil prices and seasonal factors are contributing to the increase, with further hikes expected, especially in the West Coast and later in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast states. Nationally, the average gasoline price has risen by 6.5 cents per gallon in the last week and 17.1 cents per gallon from a month ago.
