Baltimore, MD – May 19, 2024 – Today, volunteers took time from their busy schedules and repaired matzeivos and trimmed trees at the German Hill Road Jewish Cemetery, in Dundalk. Participants included the organizer Steven Venick and Barry Dubin, Jeremy Diamond, Larry Franks, Chen Goodman and his son, Hillel, Pikesville Tree Service’s Levi Lowenstein, Levi, Ephy Rosenbloom, and Shalom Rosenbloom.
Jerusalem, Israel – Today, House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik delivered an address to members of the Israeli Knesset in Jerusalem following an invitation from Speaker Amir Ohana highlighting how America stands with Israel and House Republicans’ fight to protect Jewish students on American college campuses.
Rep. Stefanik is the highest ranking member of the House of Representatives to visit Israel since the October 7th terrorist attacks.
Read her full address below.
“Thank you, Speaker Ohana, for your kind introduction and for inviting me here today. Mr. Speaker, MK Moshe Tur-Paz, MK Dan Illouz, distinguished guests, and dear friends: I am profoundly honored to speak in the hallowed halls of your Knesset, in your eternal capital, the holy c...
Baltimore, MD - May 16, 2024 - On Wednesday, May 29th, Jewish Educational Services, an agency of The Associated will be hosting Celebrating Education: JES Educator Awards Ceremony and Annual Meeting. This momentous event will take place at 7:00 pm at Congregation Shomrei Emunah, where we will pay tribute to not only our incredible awardees, including the 2024 Sam Kahan Distinguished Educator, but also to the 100+ educators who were nominated for awards, and we invite you to join us to celebrate ALL the teachers in our community who dedicate themselves to their students and to Jewish Education. Registration is still open - go to bit.ly/CelebratingEducation2024.
This year, we invited community members to participate in our Educator Awards program by nominating outstanding educat...
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this evening (Sunday, 19 May 2024), at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, met with northern confrontation line local council heads, listened to their requests, and was presented with the existing gaps in the decision on a plan for the north. The Prime Minister instructed the directors general of the Prime Minister's Office and the Finance Ministry to meet with the local council heads in order to bridge the minor remaining gaps and present him tomorrow with an agreed-upon plan that will be submitted for Government approval during the week.
Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked the local council heads for being steadfast.
Prime Minister Netanyahu at the end of the discussion [translated from Hebrew]:
"In the end, the revival and the momentum ...
Baltimore, MD – May 19, 2024 - 1:38PM - An accident at the intersection of Willow Glen and Fallstaff is causing traffic congestion.
Please avoid the area.
BaltimoreJewishLife.com (BJL) is proud to partner with STAR-K CERTIFICATION that realizes that there is no substitute for a person’s own Rav. In an effort to offer a possible solution, it has launched its Institute of Halachah as a public service. Over the years, the agency’s Kashrus Hotline has answered generic halachic questions from kosher consumers the world over, including inquiries regarding the kosher status of foods and certified Sabbath mode appliances. The formation of a separate official division within STAR-K testifies to the need for addressing these issues.
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On another occasion we have discussed some interesting perspectives on the meaning of the term sefiras ha’omer and the role it plays in connecting Pesach to Shavuos. I recently saw an intriguing perspective from Noam Jacobson, whose creative videos continue to entertain while providing deep insights on the parsha on a weekly basis.
In our parsha, the name of the upcoming chag is not even mentioned. We are simply told (23:16) that it is after counting 50 days from the bringing of the korban omer. Even a date is not provided as Shavuos could technically fall on any one of three days before we had a set calendar. In this sense, Shavuos represents the holiday which is the dominion of man. We are in control of the date on which it falls.
Conversely, he understands the word omer – ...
During the Second Temple, the Greek empire reigned (over Israel),1 and they (the Greeks) passed decrees against the Jews and (tried) to erase their religion, and did not allow them to carry out Torah (study) or the commandments. They put their hands on their property and their daughters. They entered the Temple, destroyed and made the pure unclean. The Jews were in great distress because of them and were much oppressed, until the G-d of their fathers had mercy on them, delivering them from their hands and saving them. Then overcame, the sons of the Hasmonean High Priest, (the Greeks) and killed them and saved the Jews from their hands. They appointed a king from the Priests, and the kingdom of Israel was restored for more than 200 years until the destruction of (the) second (Temple). When the Jews overcame their enemies and destroyed them, it was the 25th of Kislev2 when they entered the Sanctuary (inner room) and did not find pure (olive) oil in the Temple, except one jar sealed with seal of the High Priest, and it did not contain enough to light except for one day only. But they lit from it the lamps of the Menorah3 for eight days, until they could crush olives and produce a (new quantity) of pure oil. For these reasons, decreed the Sages of that generation that these eight days that begin on the 25th Kislev, will be days of joy and praise. One lights on them lamps at evening at the entrance to the houses, every evening of the eight nights to show off and demonstrate the miracle. These days are called ''Hanukah'' that is to say ''they rested'' (chanu) on the ''25'' ('th of the month) because on the 25th they rested from their enemies. and also because of those days they (re)-dedicated the house (Temple) which their foes had defiled. Also some say that it is a commandment to increase slightly the festive meals on Hanukah. Another reason is because the work of (building) the Sanctuary (in the desert) was completed in these days. One should tell one's children the story of the miracles that were done for our fore-fathers in those days, (see Josephus) However, these meals are not considered as part of the commandment unless one says at the meal songs of praise. One should increase charity in these Hanukah days, for this can help mend any defects in our souls. This charity, should be given particularly to poor Torah scholars. (KSA 139:1) 1) 352 BCE until 70 CE 2) 139 BCE 3) The Menorah was made of gold and had seven branches.
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was involved in an accident on Sunday.
Iranian State broadcaster Tasnim reported that the president was on board the helicopter when it was involved in an accident in the East Azerbaijan province in northwest Iran.
Live updates:
6:05: An Iranian official has told iranina helicopter crashReuters that "the lives of Raisi and Amir-Abdollahian are at risk following the helicopter crash. We are still hopeful but information coming from the crash site is very concerning."
6:00 p.m.: Western sources say that they now estimate that President Raisi did not survive the crash. A US State Department spokesperson told CBS News that the US is "closely following reports of a possible hard landing of a helicopter in Iran carry...
A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi was involved in an accident on Sunday.
Iranian State broadcaster Tasnim reported that the president was on board the helicopter when it was involved in an accident in eastern Azerbaijan.
According to Tasnim, Red Crescent rescue forces and military and police auxiliary forces had begun a massive operation to find the helicopter.
According to the report, the convoy consisted of three helicopters, with the helicopter also carrying Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian.
Associated Press reported that communications with the pilots were lost.
According to state media, individuals who were on the aircraft made contact after the incident, noting that the hope that the incident ended without loss of life has increased.
On another occasion we have discussed some interesting perspectives on the meaning of the term sefiras ha’omer and the role it plays in connecting Pesach to Shavuos. I recently saw an intriguing perspective from Noam Jacobson, whose creative videos continue to entertain while providing deep insights on the parsha on a weekly basis.
In our parsha, the name of the upcoming chag is not even mentioned. We are simply told (23:16) that it is after counting 50 days from the bringing of the korban omer. Even a date is not provided as Shavuos could technically fall on any one of three days before we had a set calendar. In this sense, Shavuos represents the holiday which is the dominion of man. We are in control of the date on which it falls.
Conversely, he understands the word omer – as used as a measurement – to be a callback to the omer per person that was collected of the mann each morning. The mann represents our complete and utter reliance on HaShem for all of our sustenance.
We may now understand Shavuos as the perfect confluence of our own handiwork and that of HaShem. We are commanded to bring two loaves of bread as an offering – loaves which we ourselves have produced by cutting wheat, grinding it into flour, kneading and baking it. As we offer it as a korban we are reminded of the lesson of the mann that no matter how much toil we put in to our sustenance, it is ultimately all from the grace of HaShem.
(I highly recommend viewing Noam Jacobson’s far more entertaining presentation on his YouTube page.)
A terrorist tried to stab Border Police officers this morning (Sunday) at a checkpoint near the town of 'Abu-Dis' in the Judea and Samaria area.
The terrorist arrived at the checkpoint, pulled out a knife, and tried to stab the officers operating there.
The officers identified the terrorist, responded quickly, and shot him, neutralizing him. There were no casualties among the Israeli forces.
On Thursday, a career IDF soldier was wounded in a stabbing attack at the Yitzhar Hagedola Junction, south of Shechem (Nablus).
The victim arrived by vehicle to the Samaria Brigade, where he received medical treatment and was evacuated, conscious, to Beilinson Hospital.
According to the victim, the terrorist attacked him as he was opening the window of his vehicle, and stabbed him.
At Saturday evening's international rally in Hostages Square, a recorded message from Former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was screened for attendees.
In the message, Clinton said, "To all who are gathered, let me first express my deepest sympathy for the losses that have been suffered, and for those families who are still separated from their loved ones."
"I know, having met family members of hostages, how deep the pain is, and I know that you will never stop advocating for the release of your loved ones, your family members, your friends, everyone who was kidnapped and is being held hostage.
"These hostages represent so much more than just who they are. They are citizens of 17 countries, they practice five religions, they are our fellow men and women and yes ch...
The Toronto police hate crimes unit is investigating after a local synagogue was vandalized for the second time in four weeks, The Canadian Press reported.
Rabbi Joe Kanofsky said windows and glass doors at the Kehillat Shaarei Torah Synagogue in the city’s north end were smashed in the early hours of Friday morning.
Rabbi Kanofsky said the synagogue was a target of similar vandalism in late April, and no one was injured in either incident.
He added that police responded quickly on Friday and collected surveillance video from the scene.
Toronto police confirmed that officers responded to a call about property damage and said the hate crimes unit is investigating.
Abu Obaydah, spokesman for Hamas' Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, responded with disdain to the IDF's recent recovery of the bodies of four hostages held in a tunnel in Jabaliya.
On Friday, the IDF announced the recovery of the bodies of Yitzhak Gelernter, Shani Louk, and Amit Buskila. On Saturday, the IDF announced the recovery of a fourth body, that of Ron Benjamin.
In a message on Telegram, Abu Obaydah claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "prefers that his soldiers be killed while they are searching for remains and bodies, instead of choosing a prisoner swap which does not serve his own personal and political interests."
nless it includes ending the war in Gaza and allowing Hamas to continue its rule of the area. The terror group al...
IDF troops continue precise operations against terrorist operatives and infrastructure in eastern Rafah.
During one of the encounters with terrorists in the area, IDF troops identified and eliminated an operative armed with an RPG in a compound adjacent to the troops.
Additionally, the troops conducted targeted raids on terror targets and located weapons, explosive devices, missiles, and RPGs. During an additional activity, the troops located and destroyed a launcher inside a military compound in the area.
In coordination with IDF ground troops, an IAF aircraft struck and eliminated a significant Islamic Jihad terrorist operative who was the Head of Logistics of the Rafah Brigade in the Islamic Jihad. He was responsible for preparing the terror organization for operations against IDF gr...
Baltimore, MD - May 18, 2024 - The refloat and transit of the M/V Dali from its current location to a local marine terminal is slated for Monday morning (subject to change).
Safety remains the Unified Command’s emphasis, as it has been during the execution of all tasks in the nearly eight weeks of salvage operations.
The refloat and transit sequence is deliberately designed to ensure all response personnel around the M/V Dali maintain control of the vessel, from refloat, transit to, and berthing at a local marine terminal.
Refloat: Optimum conditions call for the transit of the M/V Dali to commence at high tide, predicted to be Monday at 5:24 a.m. The vessel will be prepared at 2 a.m., allowing the M/V Dali to catch the peak high tide for a controlled tra...
It happens all the time that we hear about a specific store selling produce from Eretz Yisroel. Most of us stay away from that produce to avoid problems with Trumos and Maasros. Well not anymore! Rabbi Dovid Cohen - Administrative Rabbinical Coordinator at the cRc, walks us through the Mitzvah of separating Trumos and Maasros clearly and concisely.
IAF aircraft on Friday operated in the area of Majdal Anjar in Lebanon to eliminate terrorist Shurahbil Ali Alsayed, a senior commander of the Jamaa Islamiya terrorist organization.
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said that Shurahbil promoted numerous terror attacks from Lebanon against Israel in the eastern arena recently, as well as in cooperation with Hamas' wing in Lebanon.
“His elimination was carried out to degrade the capabilities of the terrorist organization to promote and carry out terror attacks that he planned recently and meant to execute in the immediate future against that State of Israel along the northern border,” it added.
Earlier on Friday, IDF fighter jets operated in the area of Deir Seryan in Lebanon and struck a launcher used to fire l...
Maryland added 7,800 total jobs in the month of April, according to the Department of Labor.
The new data reported by the Maryland Department of Labor reveals there was 4,800 jobs in private sector industries and big gains in expanding sectors such as Professional, Scientific and Technical services.
The monthly jobs data released by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics today also showed that job growth in March was healthier than initially reported, with a revision to last month’s estimates that added 500 total jobs, officials said in a recent release.
April’s report is the first to fully incorporate jobs data after the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which disrupted operations at the Port of Baltimore, impacting hundreds of businesses an...
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