Baltimore, MD – May 24, 2024 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Paul Osborne (Cincinnati) & Illona Weiman (Baltimore) on their engagement.
יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!
Along with thousands of others from their brigade, my sons had been back home from their service in and around Gaza for about two months. And though the war is never far from anyone’s minds, many families’ lives were beginning to reclaim their familiar rhythms. Mothers, who had to also serve as fathers, could turn to their partners once again to assist in the day-to-day routines of their homes. Fathers, many of whom had been sleeping in their uniforms and boots, with their rifles at their sides, could breathe once again, and not jump at the sound of a broken twig or a creaky stair.
Couples could smile, and laugh, and embrace.
But, as we know, the job is not done. Victory over Hamas has not occurred. Not yet. The government says that the goals remain intact, yet the pace...
The bodies of three, hostages Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum, and Orion Hernandez Radoux, were rescued overnight during a joint IDF and ISA operation.
Based on verified intelligence obtained by the IDF, the hostages were murdered during the October 7th Massacre and were abducted from the Mefalsim Intersection to Gaza by Hamas terrorists.
The bodies of the hostages were rescued overnight during a joint IDF and ISA operation in Jabaliya, based on precise intelligence obtained and analyzed over the past days by the IDF Intelligence Directorate's Headquarters for the Hostages and Missing Persons in collaboration with the ISA. At the beginning of the operation, intense combat was carried out in the area.
Following an identification procedure carried out by medical officials at the Isr...
The International Court of Justice today delivered its ruling on the Israeli operation in Rafah, ordering that Israel cease all military operations in the Rafah governate. The case comes as part of a larger petition filed by South Africa against Israel, accusing Israel of genocide of the Palestinian people. Other countries have filed requests to join the case as co-claimants for both sides.
The original case was heard approximately four months ago, with a temporary verdict providing certain interim measures against Israel announced a month after that.
The court called the humanitarian situation in Rafah "disastrous", citing an alleged lack of basic necessities in the city and widespread displacement due to Israeli evacuation orders. It also declared that Israel's humanitarian evacua...
Research has shown that the most commonly used emoji is the “Face with Tears of Joy” emoji, which is used to express laughter and humor. I would like to suggest that this applies to the secular world; however, in the Jewish world, the most commonly used emoji is – or should be! – the “Thumbs up” emoji. Why is that exactly? Good question.The human being has 5 fingers; pinky, ring, middle, pointer, and thumb. The thumb is referred to in the Talmud as well as other Rabbinic writings as a גודל/אגודל, which comes from the meaning גדול, great and large.Indeed, the thumb is the thickest of all fingers, thus making it the largest finger on the human hand. And, quite incredibly, the thumb is the greatest finger of all five. Why? Because it represents...
Baltimore, MD – May 23, 2024 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Nissan Laifer (Baltimore) & Chasi Zeilberger (Edison) on their engagement.
יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!
Baltimore, MD – May 23, 2024 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Binyamin Bakaev & Tova Miller on their engagement.
Mazel Tov Vadim & Sara Bakaev and Ed & Iris Miller.
יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!
Rabbi Labish Becker - Behar 5784 The Shemitta Antidote #2 from Agudath Israel on Vimeo.
A federal judge sentenced former Baltimore prosecutor Marilyn Mosby to 12 months of home detention and three years of supervised release, both to be served concurrently, plus 100 hours of community service.
Mosby, 44, decided not to speak before the sentence was delivered.
U.S. District Court Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby said the defense's calculation of 12-18 months "is not appropriate in this case." She factored into her sentencing decision, speaking to Mosby, "the findings of two juries that you did something wrong ... breached a public trust ... that is very difficult to restore."
The judge said evidence has shown a pattern of dishonesty, and that there are victims, though "not in the traditional sense."
"You have an absolute right to maintain your innocence ... and should not b...
Baltimore, MD - May 23, 2024 - Maryland State Police plan to increase patrols on some state highways this Memorial Day weekend, and troopers will be targeting impaired, aggressive, and distracted drivers.
According to a release from state police, troopers from all 23 barracks will conduct high-visibility patrols on interstates and major corridors starting Friday and continuing through Monday.
The State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort team will also be out to identify impaired drivers, authorities said.
Drivers are likely to see increased patrols and traffic stops on the following roads this weekend:
Eastern Maryland: Routes 50, 13, 301, 404 and 413.
Central Maryland: Interstates 495, 95 and 695.
Western Maryland: Troopers will increase patrols in areas ...
Baltimore, MD - May 23, 2024 - Rabbi Shragi Hershkowitz addresses the talmidim at Yeshivas Toras Simcha on Pesach Sheini. The Rav discussed the mitzvah of Pesach Sheini. He explained that the people who were tamei on Pesach were unable to participate in the karban Pesach. They nevertheless sought to have the zechus of this mitzvah. So, they approached Moshe Rabeinu and asked if there was a way for them to have the zechus of the mitzvah. Moshe told them that he would need to ask Hashem, which he did and we have the mitzvah of Pesach Sheini.Rav Hershkowitz explained that even if these people had not made this inquiry of Hashem clearly there would have been another occasion where Moshe would have been instructed to explain this mitzvah to Klal Yisrael. ...
Balimore, MD - May 23. 2024 - The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore will honor leaders at a special ceremony on May 28 at the Gordon Center for Performing Arts. These eight exceptional leaders will be recognized for their outstanding dedication and contributions to The Associated and the broader Jewish community.
This year’s awardees include:
Zelda Miller Award: Chana Friedman
Chana Friedman, a senior account manager at The Columbia Group, has a passion for helping others. With 15+ years of experience in the insurance and human resource field, she has developed a strong skillset and a proven track record of success. Chana enjoys meeting new people and getting involved in the Baltimore community, a place she has always called home. &nb...
Baltimore, MD - May 23, 2024 - People in Baltimore have been dying of overdoses at a rate never before seen in a major American city.
In the past six years, nearly 6,000 lives have been lost. The death rate from 2018 to 2022 was nearly double that of any other large city, and higher than nearly all of Appalachia during the prescription pill crisis, the Midwest during the height of rural meth labs or New York during the crack epidemic.
A decade ago, 700 fewer people here were being killed by drugs each year. And when fatalities began to rise from the synthetic opioid fentanyl, so potent that even minuscule doses are deadly, Baltimore’s initial response was hailed as a national model. The city set ambitious goals, distributed Narcan widely, experimented with ways ...
Baltimore, MD – May 23, 2024 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to R’ Yaakov Sholom & Efrat Greenfeld on the birth of a son.
Mazel Tov grandparents Rabbi Jonathan Aryeh & Rebetzin Michal Seidemann
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Baltimore, MD - May 23, 2024 - The Rama (OC 493:1) says when Lag B’omer occurs on Sunday (as is the case this year) one may get a haircut l’kavod Shabbos on Friday from any time after Shacharis.
Baltimore, MD, May 23, 2024—The Coalition for Jewish Values (CJV), today extended its commendation and gratitude to Secretary of State Antony Blinken for his commitment to work with Congress to sanction the International Criminal Court (ICC) and its officials. This came in response to the announcement by the ICC Prosecutor that he would seek arrest warrants against Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials. To Sen. James Risch, in a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Mr. Blinken said that "there's no question we have to look at the appropriate steps to take to deal with, again, what is a profoundly wrong-headed decision" by the ICC. And to Sen. Lindsay Graham during a hearing of a Senate appropriations subcommittee hearing, Mr. Blinken said h...
