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.
Baltimore, MD - May 21, 2024 - The Key Bridge Response Unified Command released time lapse video capturing the M/V Dali being refloated and relocated Monday.
With the assistance of five tugboats and other support vessels, the M/V Dali was towed and pushed 2.5 miles, arriving at a local marine terminal at approximately 9 a.m.
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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...
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Baltimore, MD – May 20, 2024 - It is with regret that Baltimore Jewish Life (BJL) informs the community of the petira of Mrs. Deanna Lerner, a’h, mother of Dr. Shaya (Brenda) Lerner.
Shiva will be observed through Sunday morning, May 26, at 702 Abbott St., Highland Park, NJ, 08904
Shacharis: Mon-Thurs: 7:10AM / Wed./Fri/Sun 7:20
Mincha/Maariv 8:00 pm
Bila Hamaves LaNetzach...
If you have to put someone on a pedestal, put teachers. They are society's heroes. –Guy Kawasaki
Baltimore, MD - May 20, 2024 - Jewish Educational Services couldn’t agree more. In honor of National Teacher’s Appreciation Week celebrated this year May 6-10, JES, an agency of The Associated, recognized the important work teachers do with Todah Teacher Week. Educators entered to win a daily raffle for exciting prize packages. With almost 600 entries, five educators won a prize package and every teacher who entered received a $10 gift card to The Fresh Market.
Many businesses joined with JES to say “Thank you” by donating gift certificates for the prizes.
Beauty Package donated by:
Adina B JCC Kayla Designs Ooh La La Sassy Glass...
Israeli officials seized a camera and broadcasting equipment belonging to The Associated Press in southern Israel on Tuesday, accusing the news organization of violating a new media law by providing images to Al Jazeera.
The Qatari satellite channel is among thousands of clients that receive live video feeds from the AP and other news organizations. The AP denounced the move.
“The Associated Press decries in the strongest terms the actions of the Israeli government to shut down our longstanding live feed showing a view into Gaza and seize AP equipment,” said Lauren Easton, vice president of corporate communications at the news organization. “The shutdown was not based on the content of the feed but rather an abusive use by the Israeli government of the country...
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.
The Institute of Halachah is directed by HaRav Mordechai Frankel, under the guidance of HaRav Moshe Heinemann, STAR-K’s Rabbinic Administrator. It is an invaluable resource for a diverse array of rabbis to discuss general halachic matters, as well as gain access to source materials for shiurim and answers to congregants’ questions.
Shailos for regular or Kashrus shailos may emailed or discussed using this widget.
Target plans to cut prices on thousands of consumer basics this summer, from diapers to milk, as inflation cuts into household budgets and more Americans pay closer attention to their spending.
The price cuts, already applied to 1,500 items, will eventually include 5,000 food, drink and essential household goods. Target and other retailers are increasingly catering to customers who are struggling with higher prices for groceries, though inflation has begun to cool . Many of them have switched to private label brands sold by Target and others big retailers, which are typically less expensive than well-known brands.
Target launched one such collection in January called Dealworthy which includes nearly 400 basic items, ranging from clothing to electronics, that can cost less than ...
Baltimore, MD - May 20, 2024 - Dear Colleagues,
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Joel Pleeter on his appointment as vice chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Sinai Hospital, effective May 20.
Dr. Pleeter earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from SUNY – Brooklyn and completed his OB/GYN internship and residency at Sinai.
After his training, Dr. Pleeter joined Village Obstetrics & Gynecology in Pikesville, where he still serves an integral part of this busy private practice. Dr. Pleeter takes pride that this practice has been caring for the same community for more than 50 years, including taking care of many Orthodox patients and their specific cultural needs.
Medical education and training have also been a vital part of Dr. Pleeter’s career. ...
US President Joe Biden condemned the warrant applications by the International Criminal Court's Chief Prosecutor.
"The ICC prosecutor’s application for arrest warrants against Israeli leaders is outrageous. And let me be clear: whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas. We will always stand with Israel against threats to its security," Biden said.
The US State Department also condemned the move, saying, "The United States fundamentally rejects the announcement today from the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) that he is applying for arrest warrants for senior Israeli officials, together with warrants for Hamas terrorists."
"We reject the Prosecutor’s equivalence of Israel with ...
Baltimore, MD - May 20, 2024 - Ahead of the upcoming OJBA MidAlantic Expo, BJL sat down with Elise Steinharter of Talint Consulting to hear about the ever-evolving world of HR, how her background working for Apple influenced her skill set, and why “soft skills” will never become obsolete. Talint Consulting will be exhibiting at OJBA MidAtlantic.
Q: Please tell us about your company.
A: I’m the founder of Talint Consulting. We act as internal HR for companies and non-profits who don't have internal HR.
Q: What services do you offer your clients?
A: We come into the organization and evaluate the employee experience so we can help the company figure out how to streamline things. This includes help with hiring, onboarding, training, and firing, ...
Annapolis, MD – May 20, 2024 – Last week, Governor Wes Moore signed HB 763 into law. This legislation sponsored by Delegate Dalya Attar, removes CAIR from the Maryland Hate Crimes Commission. Governor Moore, Senate President, Speaker of the House of Delegates and members of the Baltimore Jewish Council at the bill signing on Thursday
Baltimore, MD - May 20, 2024 - Yitzie Pretter’s personal mantra is, “We’ll have plenty of time to rest after 120.”
In the interim, he intends to live life to the fullest and do as much chesed and klal work as possible, including at the OU, where he chairs its Advocacy Center and sits on the general OU Board of Governors.
“I have always admired the OU and the broad reach it has for the Orthodox community in so many facets of life,” he says. “I think it is the single most impactful Jewish organization.”
A resident of Baltimore, MD, Yitzie grew up in Staten Island, NY, and attended JEC (Jewish Educational Center) high school in Elizabeth, New Jersey. Raised in a home where his parents, Chaim, a”h, and Simie, were always &ldq...
House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik called for Congress to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) after ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan announced that he is seeking arrest warrants against Israeli leaders in addition to Hamas leaders in connection with the war between Israel and Hamas that began with the Hamas massacre of October 7.
“The ICC is an illegitimate court that equivocates a peaceful nation protecting its right to exist with radical terror groups that commit genocide,” Stefanik (R-NY) told the New York Post.
“Congress must pass my bill with Congressman Chip Roy, the Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, that will punish those in the ICC that made this baseless undemocratic decision,” she said.
Stefanik&nbs...
Rabbi Yonah Sklare is a Rosh Kollel in Baltimore, MD as well as Magid Shiur at Congregation Shomrei Emunah. His refreshingly creative approach to learning as well as his captivating presentation style, have attracted a diverse and beloved following. He lectures at numerous local institutions, including Women’s Institute of Torah Seminary, as well as out of town and online. Rabbi Sklare received semichah and his PhD in Talmudic Law from Ner Israel Rabbinical College. He can be reached at rabbisklare@gmail.com.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have successfully evacuated approximately 950,000 Palestinian civilians from Rafah in the Gaza Strip in just two weeks since May 6, the military revealed on Monday.
This large-scale evacuation was part of the ongoing Israeli military operations aimed at dismantling Hamas' control in the region.
According to the IDF, around 30 to 40 percent of Rafah is now under IDF control, while 60 to 70 percent of the city has been completely evacuated. The remaining civilians, estimated at 300,000-400,000, are concentrated near the Tel al-Sultan area along the Gaza coast.
This evacuation was achieved despite earlier U.S. predictions that such a large-scale movement could not be accomplished without significant casualties or a lengthy timeframe of a...
When the Wicked Perish
It truly feels like we are living inside a chapter of the Tanach. Yesterday, when news started to come in about the crash of the Iranian president's helicopter, I saw that some people were quoting the verse from Mishlei, written by Shlomo HaMelech: "When the wicked perish, there is joy." When righteous people perish from the world, we are sad, and unfortunately, this happened a great deal since Simchat Torah. But on the other hand, here is an opportunity to rejoice. When the wicked perish from the world – there is joy in the world, it is cleaner and purer, and better here without them.
But there is another verse, the last verse of the Haftarah that will be read in shul this coming Shabbat: "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is there anything t...
Jerusalem, Israel - May 20, 2024 - On X this morning, Israel's President Herzog expressed outrage over the ICC prosecutor’s announcement,
"The announcement of the prosecutor at the ICC is beyond outrageous, and shows the extent to which the international judicial system is in danger of collapsing.Taken in bad faith, this one-sided move represents a unilateral political step that emboldens terrorists around the world, and violates all the basic rules of the court according to the principle of complementarity and other legal norms.Hamas’ leaders are oppressive dictators guilty of launching mass murder, mass rape, and mass kidnappings of men, women, children and babies.Any attempt to draw parallels between these atrocious terrorists and a democratically elected governm...
Following the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan's application for arrest warrant against Israeli and Hamas leadership over war crimes, Israeli politicians and civil society have rejected the equalization of the parties' violations.
Benny Gantz, the war cabinet member, said "placing the leaders of a country that went into battle to protect its citizens, in the same line with bloodthirsty terrorists, is moral blindness and a violation of its duty and ability to protect its citizens. Accepting the prosecutor's position, would be a historical crime that will not go away."
The Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid stressed: "It is a political, moral failure. We can't accept comparison between Netanyahu and [Hamas chief Yahya] Sinwar."
Then Hosta...
Iran’s first Vice President Mohammad Mokhber was appointed as acting president of the Islamic Republic on Monday after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in the country’s northwest.
Mokhber, 68, largely has been in the shadows compared to other politicians in Iran’s Shiite theocracy. Raisi’s death under the constitution thrust Mokhber into public view. He is expected to serve as caretaker president for some 50 days before mandatory presidential elections in Iran.
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei made the announcement of Mokhber’s appointment in a condolence message he shared for Raisi’s death in the crash Sunday. The helicopter was found Monday in northwestern Iran.
Despite his low-key public pr...