Baltimore, MD – May 16, 2024 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Adam & Allison Steinmetz on the birth of a daughter.
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בתם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
No non-Kohen may eat holy things; a Kohen’s resident and his hireling may not eat holy things. And if a Kohen acquires a person, an acquisition through his money, he may eat of it, and those born in his house they may eat of his food (Vayikra 22:10-11).
The Kohanim led lives devoted to serving the Jewish people. They were our emissaries in the Temple and served as spiritual role-models for the nation of Israel. We were charged with supporting them through different types of tithes and portions. These portions were sanctified and could not be consumed by another other than the Kohen– with some significant exceptions. If a Kohen purchased a servant, the servant is permitted to eat from the same sacred items his Kohen master...
Baltimore, MD – May 16, 2024 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Shlomo and Toni Loeb on the birth of a son.
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Baltimore, MD – May 16, 2024 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Yeruchum Giniger & Gitty Lefkovitz on their engagement.
Mazel Tov Rabbi Yaakov & Malkie Giniger and Rabbi Yisrael & Zehava Lefkowitz and grandparents Rabbi Yehuda & Nusy Lefkovitz
יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!
The Gemara in Shabbos 117b discusses what to do in a case where a fire is devastating one’s home on Shabbos. It would be permissible to take enough food for three meals out of the burning house and bring it into his courtyard or “karmelis.” The Gemara explains that if the fire would happen at night, before any meals were eaten, he may take out food for three meals. If the fire would happen in the morning, he would be allowed to take out food for two meals. If the fire would start at Mincha, he would only be allowed to take out food for one meal.
The Rambam in Hilchos Shabbos 30:9 says that everyone is required to eat three meals on Shabbos; one meal in the evening, one in the morning, and one at Mincha...
Dazhon Darien, who’s accused of impersonating a principal with artificial intelligence, found his way into Baltimore County Public Schools with a litany of fake credentials and false qualifications.
The former Pikesville High School athletic director applied to the school system using resumes riddled with claims that are either questionable or untrue. He didn’t get degrees he claims to hold. He never worked for a Division I college football team. He didn’t have a teaching license or meet the minimum qualifications for his job.
Baltimore County Public Schools still hired him, seemingly unaware of the lies.
The falsehoods appear to be part of a pattern by Darien, 31. A Baltimore Banner investigation found at least 29 false claims on four job appl...
Baltimore, MD – May 16, 2024 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Yair Levitz (Woodmere) & Zahava Rosenbaum (Baltimore) on their engagement.
Mazel Tov Steve & Chaya Levitz and Daniel & Shani Rosenbaum
Baltimore, MD - May 16, 2024 - As The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore prepares for its relocation to the heart of the Jewish community, big changes are afoot at the Park Heights Jewish Community Center.
“We’re excited that The Associated’s going to be moving its headquarters into the current JCC building alongside a few of its agencies,” says Marc B. Terrill, president of The Associated. “This move will position The Associated to offer a robust home for community-wide programming, to have the JCC, Jewish Library and The Associated in one main building and adjacent to most of our other Associated agencies on one campus. It’s really going to provide a unique opportunity for us to think and work communally.”
Renovations to the building, s...
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the strategic importance of the ongoing battle in Rafah during an aerial tour of the Gaza Strip, accompanied by Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Amir Baram and Commander of the 162nd Division, Brigadier General Itzik Cohen.
"The battle in Rafah is critical. It is a battle that decides many things in this campaign," Netanyahu said, following an aerial review of the operational activities in Rafah led by the 162nd Division.
Addressing the battalion's commanders and soldiers, Netanyahu acknowledged the sacrifices made and the vital role they play in the campaign:
"We are here on a difficult day, a day when we learn of five of our fighters who have fallen. This will not weaken our fighting spirit. You are the generation of victory...
Soldiers from the 401st Brigade battle team under the command of the 162nd Division, continue to lead the raids in eastern Rafah.
During the offensive, soldiers from Unit 414 working in the 401st Brigade battle team, flew drones that located loaded launchers that were ready to launch long-range missiles into Israeli territory.
The military noted that "these launchers served the terror organizations in the Gaza Strip and launched (missiles) at Israeli territory during the recent months. The launchers were destroyed.
During a raid on an additional launch site, the forces located a central and complex launch infrastructure in the Rafah area containing dozens of launchers attached to one another and rockets ready for launch.
The launch infrastructure was used in recent months to launch roc...
Baltimore, MD – May 16, 2024 - It was reported to the BZD this morning about an antisemitic sign at the intersection of Northern Parkway and Roland Ave. Last week, at this very location, another antisemitic message was spotted and removed. The BZD is already working with Councilman Yitzy Schleifer’s office to have this removed. BZD will not tolerate hate and antisemitism in our community. See something, say something!
The Justice Department on Thursday formally moved to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug in a historic shift in generations of U.S. drug policy.
A proposed rule sent to the federal register recognizes the medical uses of cannabis and acknowledges it has less potential for abuse than some of the nation’s most dangerous drugs. The plan approved by Attorney General Merrick Garland does not legalize marijuana outright for recreational use.
The Drug Enforcement Administration will take public comment on the proposal to move marijuana away from its current classification as a Schedule I drug, alongside heroin and LSD. It moves pot to Schedule III, alongside ketamine and some anabolic steroids.
The move comes after a recommendation from the federa...
Baltimore, MD - May 16, 2024 - STAR-K is once again offering the following popular seminars at its Baltimore corporate headquarters to take you "behind the scenes" of the world of kashrus.
Click on the image below to download the training flyer.
JULY 29-31: 11th Annual Foodservice Mashgiach Training Seminar
This intensive three-day seminar is an in-depth training program for those currently involved – or who wish to become involved – as mashgichim in the foodservice industry (e.g., restaurants, catering halls, hotels). The course deals in depth with the various issues and skills a mashgiach requires in order to work effectively in all types of settings and conditions (e.g., Shabbos, Yom Tov) Participants will also receive training and certification in bug ...
Baltimore, MD - May 16, 2024 - As Baltimore City struggles to balance its budget, the cost to protect city officials is mounting, increasing by more than a million dollars from 2021 to 2023.
That’s according to a new Baltimore City Inspector General report, which found the City’s Executive Protection Unit (EPU) spent $1.7 million in 2021, compared to $2.9 million in 2023.
The EPU provides security personnel for the Mayor, City State’s Attorney, and the Police Commissioner.
Although, the protections aren’t provided equally among the top three officials.
Mayor Brandon Scott has twice as many BPD detectives assigned to his security team, according to the report.
The report also found Baltimore spends a lot more than other liked-sized jurisdictions on ex...
Baltimore, MD - May 16, 2024 - There are still votes to be counted, but we have a solid picture of just how few people turned out to vote in the 2024 Presidential Primary.
As of 5 a.m. on Wednesday, the Maryland State Board of Election found that just over 720,000 voters turned out in some form to make their voices heard.
That's fewer than 1 in 5 eligible voters casting a ballot in the election.
It's also less than half the number of votes from the previous Presidential primary election.
In fact, as of Wednesday morning, it's the fewest votes in any primary — Presidential or Gubernatorial — since 2012.
We're taking an in focus look at how this year compares to prior primaries, as part of our commitment to giving you context and digging into ...
IDF soldiers from the Nahal Brigade who raided the Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza this week were surprised to find large quantities of food that came via humanitarian aid trucks in Hamas hideouts.
Yoav Zitun reported on Ynet that alongside the weapons caches, Hamas hid in their stronghold that they reestablished in Zeitoun tons of packaged food, which came in humanitarian aid shipments from the southern Gaza Strip and was forcibly taken by the terror organization.
Zitun explained in his report that Hamas distributed food from international aid first to its operatives, and then, as part of its civilian takeover of the northern Gaza Strip, also distributed it to the hundreds of thousands of Gazans who remain in the area.
Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid caused an uproar on Wednesday when he ...
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Wednesday visited the headquarters of the IDF’s Division 162, which is operating in the Rafah area.
During his visit, Gallant held an operational situation assessment together with the Head of the Command, Division Commander and senior IDF officials.
Upon completing an operational situation assessment at the Gaza border in the Rafah area, Gallant said, "Additional troops will join the ground operation in Rafah. A number of tunnels in the area have already been destroyed – Hamas’ faucets are being shut."
"I am now in the Rafah area after meeting the Head of the Southern Command, and the Commanders of Division 162, Brigade 84, Brigade 401, and the Fire Brigade. All our troops are working in an extraordinary manner. Hundreds of [terror] ta...
