Jerusalem, Israel - Oct. 1, 2024 - As the Israel Defense Forces officially launched ground operations in southern Lebanon early this morning, the military is now disclosing that it has already carried out more than 70 small raids with special forces since the beginning of the war, destroying numerous Hezbollah positions, tunnels, and thousands of weapons that would have potentially been used by the terror group to invade Israel. According to the IDF, troops in the raids over past months silently reached around 1,000 Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon, some of them several kilometers from the border fence, including tunnels and bunkers where the terror group stored weapons. The IDF said the sites were located both inside Lebanese villages and in forested areas. The raids have been carrie...
Every year I struggle to find just the right words to introduce the initiation of Selichos on Motzei Shabbos prior to Rosh Hashana, which hopefully will set the tone for the elevated days ahead through Yom Kippur. Especially intriguing to me is the opening of the main Selicha we recite responsively, במוצאי מנוחה קדמנוך תחילה — As [the day of] rest departs we precede before you first. Why the emphasis on it being after the day of rest, and not simply post-Shabbos? The next phrase seems redundant. קדם — to precede, is synonymous with תחילה — first. Wouldn't simply stating that on Motzei Shabbos קדמנוך — we have preceded before you, been sufficient? We mention our coming before G-d, תחילה — 'first'. Fi...
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 16, 2024  - If you or someone you know is unable to attend shul to hear the shofar, please email BaltimoreShofar+Shomea@gmail.com with your name, phone number, and address. Additionally, if you are available to blow shofar for someone who cannot make it to shul, please email BaltimoreShofar+Tokea@gmail.com with your name, address, and area of availability. This initiative is dedicated in loving memory of HaRav Moshe Shlomo ben Yosef Eliezer Juravel, zt'l, who worked tirelessly to ensure the shofar was heard by all those in need.
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 30, 2024  - The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration will have several new laws go into effect Tuesday that focus on improving customer experience and streamlining services. The bills were introduced during the 2024 legislative session. They were passed by the General Assembly and signed into law by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. The new laws include: Driver’s Licenses, Learner’s Instructional Permits, and Identification Cards: Allows MVA to issue an identification card to certain populations free of charge, including but not limited to customers who are permanently disabled, unhoused, legally blind or youth under the care of the Department of Juvenile Services. The new law also benefits licensed drivers seeking to operate another vehicle class and...
Chesed Chesed
With a potential strike at ports up and down the East Coast and along the Gulf Coast set to begin after midnight Monday, logistics executives tell CNBC the remaining hours are critical in moving out as much trade as possible before a shutdown that will do serious damage to the functioning of the U.S. economy. Based on data from ImportGenius, which tracks the bills of lading — the digital receipts of cargo containers — a total of 54,456 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) arrived on Friday at the 14 ports operating under the master contract between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the U.S. Maritime Alliance (USMX) which expires at midnight Monday. The approximate value of that freight was upward of $2.7 billion, based on an MD...
Jerusalem, Israel - Sept. 30, 2024  - Ahead of the first anniversary of the murder of and capture of his son Daniel on October 7th, Rabbi Doron Perez, Daniel’s father and Executive Chairman of World Mizrachi has authored a volume in tribute to his son and his fellow soldiers memories entitled Days of Awe In Time of War: Reflections of a Father of a Fallen Hostage.   While forensic evidence later discovered that Daniel fell in the early hours of heroic battle after his tank was captured by Hamas terrorists, his fate went unknown for several months until his death could be definitively confirmed.  Daniel’s body remains in captivity in Gaza along with 100 other hostages. The 64-page volume being released in advance of Rosh Hashanah attempts to grapple with...
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 30, 2024  - Hurricane Helene has severely impacted Asheville, NC, including the local Jewish community. Dozens of Jewish families, including frum members, are missing or trapped. A Lakewood man recounted how his uncle traversed 15 miles through mud and swam across a river to safety, while his wife remains stranded with no power or communication.Despite it being Erev Rosh Hashanah, volunteer organizations are mobilizing  to help. A crew from Baltimore is leaving shortly with crews from Atlanta, Philly, Lakewood, Monsey, and Brooklyn on standby. Urgently needed supplies include wetsuits, jet skis, first aid kits, energy bars, flashlights, gasoline, satellite phones, chainsaws, and generators. Donations of food and essential gear are critical to the relief effo...
Baltimore, MD – Sept. 30, 2024 –  On Sunday, Hatzalah responders, dispatchers, service units, and board members hosted a Chanukas Habayis for the new Hatzalah Baltimore County Ambulance Building. The state-of-the-art building, located at the corner of Deancroft Rd. and Smith Ave., is equipped to house two ambulances and supplies for restocking. The building is attached to Hatzalah’s Baltimore County Operations Center. Rabbi Jonathan Aryeh Seidemann, community Rav and Hatzalah board member, spoke about the importance and great merit of saving a single life. County Councilman Izzy Patoka presented Hatzalah with a citation for their dedication to the Baltimore County community. Baltimore City Councilman Yitzi Schleifer and County Councilman Izzy Patoka then cut the ribb...
While multiple cellphone and internet providers are working to restore services Monday morning after Hurricane Helene struck the Southeast, users of one main company saying their phones aren’t working and their internet is down, even outside the storm zone. User reports for problems with Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile initially spiked on Downdetector.com, a site that tracks outages across platforms and services. None saw a higher outage spike than Verizon, which surpassed 100,000 outage reports around 11 a.m. ET. Verizon users say they’re having problems with their mobile phones, including reports of “no signal” and “total blackout.” Verizon internet customers have also reported slow speeds. Some Verizon customers on soc...
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 30, 2024  - 34 states have adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism, but Maryland has not. Without this definition, those who perpetrate antisemitic acts can more easily claim their actions are merely "anti-Zionist." Ensure clarity and accountability by signing this petition now to advocate for Maryland to formally define antisemitism.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Monday, 30 September 2024), at the start of the Government meeting [translated from Hebrew]:"First, I would like to greet all of the ministers, and our colleague Gideon Saar, who has joined us.We face major challenges. We will face them together and we will do the work that the people of Israel, and the generations of the people of Israel, expect that we will do.On the eve of Rosh Hashanah we are in decisive days. These are days of historic achievements but also of major challenges that we face.I would like to commend our commanders and soldiers in the IDF and all of the security services, who are excelling in striking our enemies and enabling our people to stand tall with pride.I would like to stand by our heroic soldiers, conscripts and reservist...
Baltimore, MD – Sept. 30, 2024  -  BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Mr. and Mrs. Yona Berkowitz on the birth of a daughter. יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בתם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 30, 2024  - Streets remain closed and power is still out Monday morning after an underground fire over the weekend at the intersection of Charles and Pleasant streets in Baltimore. Street and building closures persist into Monday As of 6 p.m. Sunday, there were a number of street closures in the area that remained closed Monday morning, including: 300 block of North Charles Street is closed between Mulberry and Fayette streets 300 block of St. Paul street is closed between Mulberry and Lexington streets Mulberry Street is closed between Liberty and St. Paul streets West Saratoga Street is closed between Liberty and St. Paul streets Additional smaller side streets closed in the area According to the Baltimore City State's Attorney'...
The Hamas terror group on Monday morning reported that Fatah Sharif Abu al-Amin, a senior Hamas operative who was also employed in a senior UNRWA position in Lebanon, was killed in a strike. According to the report, he was eliminated Monday morning in a "Palestinian refugee camp" in southern Lebanon. The report claimed that he was killed alongside his wife, son, and daughter. The IDF later confirmed: "Overnight, during a joint IDF and ISA intelligence-based activity, the IAF struck and eliminated the terrorist Fatah Sharif, Head of the Lebanon Branch in the Hamas terrorist organization." "Sharif was responsible for coordinating Hamas' terror activities in Lebanon with Hezbollah operatives. He was also responsible for Hamas’ efforts in Lebanon to recruit operatives and acquire...
Israeli special forces are carrying out targeted raids in southern Lebanon, in preparation for a potential ground incursion, the Wall Street Journal reported. People familiar with the matter told WSJ that such an incursion could potentially take place "as soon as this week." The report also said that the raids, which it stressed were "small," focus on "gathering intelligence and probing," and that they include "entering Hezbollah’s tunnels located along the border." Such raids have occurred both recently and over the course of the past several months, and are part of Israel's efforts to degrade Hezbollah's capabilities. The sources also stressed to WSJ that the timing of a ground incursion "could change." It was not clear to WSJ ...
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 29, 2024 -  Yom Tov, unlike Shabbos, permits the kindling of a flame from a pre-existing one. This means that you can cook using your stove, as long as the flame was lit before the commencement of Yom Tov. However, this presents certain safety concerns.Leaving your stove on over Yom Tov requires careful consideration. In such cases, it's vital to ensure proper ventilation. If your stove is powered by gas, carbon monoxide - a deadly, odorless gas - can accumulate in your home if the room isn't well-ventilated.The best way to mitigate this risk is to leave a window partially open near the stove, which will allow fresh air to circulate. You can also use an exhaust fan to expel any gases from the kitchen area. While it's important to conser...
US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin was furious with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israel when he was informed with very little notice that the IDF was about to kill Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, The Jerusalem Post has learned. However, a US defense official said that the description of the call between Austin and Gallant was overstated and that a more accurate description would be that Austin was firm and candid in his conversation with Gallant. Throughout the war, Gallant informed Austin of major developments, which has been a signature part of how the two governments have communicated, especially given the low level of trust between US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Considering that Israel changed foreign ministers and tha...
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