TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - A court has ruled New Jersey cannot give $11 million in grants to two religious schools. The state appeals court ruled Thursday the $10.6 million grant to Beth Medrash Govoha yeshiva in Lakewood and $645,323 to the Princeton Theological Seminary are unconstitutional. The American Civil Liberties Union and Americans United for Separation of Church and State had challenged the grants, part of $1.3 billion in grants in April 2013. New Jersey officials argued the grants were OK because they were meant to pay for buildings and equipment, not worship or ministries. Moshe Gleiberman is vice president of Beth Medrash Govoha. He says the yeshiva is disappointed in the ruling. The court said its ruling doesn't mean the state can't give money to religious-a...
Orange County, NY - Thousands turned out Wednesday night in the Satmar Chasidic village of Kiryas Joel to mark the Jewish holiday of Lag Baomer with the annual bonfire. Traditionally, a large platform is prepared, wood is piled in the center and large amounts of oil are poured on the wood. Similar bonfires are held in many Jewish communities, but Kiryas Joel’s is by far the largest such celebration in the United States. This year, a turnout of nearly 20,000 people took part in the event. The origins of this celebration lie in the village of Meron in the Holy Land, burial site of the Talmudic sage Rabbi Simeon bar Yochai. Lag Baomer marks the anniversary of his death approximately 1900 years ago. It is a day when Jews traditionally express happiness and thanks to G-d for in...
Many people have fond and fun recollections of Lag BaOmer outings back in their youth. Boys played baseball. The LaG BaOmer baseball game was always a mainstay of youth – where the Rebbeim played as well. And there is some halachic precedent to it, of sorts. The Ramah Shulchan Aruch (OC 493:2) that on LaG BaOmer we engage slightly in Simcha – joy. But commemorating LaG BaOmer is a serious matter. The Mogen Avrohom cites the Kavanos HaArizal that discusses a certain individual who had the habit of reciting Nachem every day. He continued to do so on LaG BaOmer as well. For doing so he was punished. We see, therefore, that one should take the words of the Ramah quite seriously. A number of reasons are cited by Torah authorities for commemorating Lag BaOmer: • It commemorate...
Baltimore, MD - May 26, 2015 - Last night, members of Baltimore's new Chasidishe Kolel Khal Chasidim D'Baltimore and their friends of the Baltimore community at large celebrated Lag BaOmer in a most festive fashion around a tremendous Medura at the corner of Taney & Park Heights, the future location of more housing for the growing Kolel, k'ah. More photos and videos on many Lag BaOmer celebrations around Baltimore to follow. Send your Lag BaOmer photos/videos to info@BaltimoreJewishLife.com
 Baltimore, MD  Daily Dvar Halacha -  May 26, 2016 / 18 Iyar 5776 - Bows and Arrows on Lag Ba'Omer? 
Israel - The Israeli military says its aircraft have struck two Hamas militant sites in southern Gaza in response to rocket fire toward Israel. No one was harmed in Thursday’s airstrikes or in the rocket attacks that preceded them. Gaza militants have carried out only sporadic rocket fire toward Israel since the end of a 50-day war in 2014. The military says nine rockets have struck Israel so far in 2016, a steep drop off from previous periods. Israel typically responds to the attacks with pinpoint reprisals against Hamas installations that cause no casualties in order to prevent a further escalation. Recent rocket fire has often been carried out by Salafi groups who oppose Gaza’s Hamas rulers. Nonetheless, Israel says it holds Hamas responsible for any attacks com...
Out of control blaze in Ramot forest likely caused by Lag BaOmer bonfire, while fires rage near Gilo neighborhood and Mevaseret. Fires broke out across the capital on Thursday, forcing evacuations across the city. In northern Jerusalem, firefighters struggled Thursday afternoon to control a forest fire threatening the nearby neighborhood of Ramot. The cause of the blaze is believed to be a Lag Ba’Omer bonfire. Fierce winds have helped spread the fire, which now threatens a number of homes. Firefighters have warned residents of the Masholim sector of Ramot to evacuate immediately. On the city’s southern edge, two buildings in Gilo were evacuated because of a nearby brushfire. To the west, a fire near the neighboring community of Mevaseret threatened houses on the outski...
Jerusalem, Israel - May 26, 2016 - Lag BaOmer 5766 -With the twenty-fifth of Iyar, most of Israel prepares for Lag B'Omer and huge all-night bonfires to celebrate. In Jerusalem, the annual Festival of Light in Jerusalem was ready to begin. At the gala opening Mayor Nir Barkat was joined by city and government officials, including MK Zev Elkin, who holds the Jerusalem portfolio, and CEO of the Jerusalem Development Authority Eyal Haimovsky and Moshe Leon, There were 5 different colored routes, for the 30 international light projects. Some required videos as stills could not capture the changing scenes projected on buildings and walls. The festival runs at night from May 25 - June 2, starting from Jaffa Gate, with free admission.  Lag B'Omer dancing and ...
There is perhaps no greater cultural image of Jewish life than the “fiddler on the roof”.  In him, we see ourselves seeking to find the balance between the beauty and grace of our tradition with the challenges and seductions of the world around us.  The truth is, we all seek balance in our lives.  As we rush around, negotiating the competing demands of our home lives, our professional lives, our communal lives and the nearly invisible lives we lead in cities and towns we try to “balance” it all.  Otherwise, like that fiddler, we run the risk of toppling off.  To where, I couldn’t say.  But the sensation of falling off is real just the same. If you ever doubt the importance of balance, just glance in the windows of the many gyms ...
Baltimore's elections board recertified the results of the April primary election Wednesday after an unusual intervention by state officials. The updated vote totals didn't change the outcome of any race. Any candidate who wants a recount now has three days to make a request. Anyone who wants to challenge the outcome of the race in court has seven days to file papers. State officials ordered Baltimore's election results decertified this month after city officials said they found 80 provisional ballots that had not been analyzed. The state review, which lasted more than a week, turned up other problems: Officials concluded that roughly 1,650 ballots were not handled properly. The last step before finalizing the figures was analyzing 555 uncounted provisional ballots that ...
A fire broke out at the Mir Yeshiva in Yerushalayim a short time ago. The fire department is on the scene. Baruch Hashem there are no reports of injuries at this time. UPDATE: It is reported the building was ordered evacuated due to heavy smoke conditions, which appear to have been caused by an air conditioning unit that caught fire in one of the classrooms. Once again, B”H there are no injuries reported. The building is being aired out from the heavy smoke conditions.
וכי תמכרו ממכר לעמיתך או קנה מיד עמיתך אל תונו איש את אחיו (ויקרא כה יד), When you make a sale to your fellow or make a purchase from the hand of your fellow, do not cheat each man his brother.  It’s strange that what began as a simple transaction between ‘fellow’ Jews suddenly turns in to ‘family’ business with each one careful not to cheat his ‘brother’. Truthfully, the Torah uses several terms to refer to our fellow man. At times it calls him רעך, ‘your friend’, occasionally עמיתך, ‘your fellow’, and often he is termed אחיך, ‘your brother’. All of them are all used in reference to one’s fell...
Baltimore,  MD – May 25, 2016 – Tonight, Lag BaOmer 5776, a group of young men from Shomrei Emunah's youth organization and from Gobbie Cohn's Torah Youth Association (TYA) gathered to sing and hear divrei chizuk from Rabbi Binyamin Marwick, Mara D'Asra of Cong. Shomrei Emunah as well as from Yaakov Ehrman and Josh Zaslow. The warmth of the crackling bonfire was overpowered by the achdus and hislahavus of the group.        
Two officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray are suing Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby for defamation and invasion of privacy. Sgt. Alicia White and Officer William Porter, who are facing charges of involuntary manslaughter in the 25-year-old's death last April, filed the lawsuit against Mosby, Baltimore sheriff's office Maj. Sam Cogen and the state of Maryland on May 2, according to Baltimore Circuit Court records made public Wednesday. The officers claim that Mosby and Cogen knew the statement of charges filed against the officers and other statements made by Mosby at a May 1, 2015, news conference announcing the charges "were false." "These among other statements were made not for the purpose of prosecuting crimes that had allegedly been committed...
Baltimore, MD – May 25, 2016 - It is with great sadness that BaltimoreJewishLife.com informs the community of the petirah of Mrs. Helen Hollander, a’h, mother of Mrs. Rochelle Goldberg and Mr. Jeffrey Schwartz and sister of Mrs. Renee Rose        The levayah will take place Thursday afternoon, May 26, 2016, 3:00 PM at Levinson’s. Shiva will be observed at 431 Yeshiva Lane . Times of Minyanim will follow Bila HaMaves LaNetzach...
Baltimore County Police have charged two men in connection with thefts of packages from in front of homes in the Pikesville / Precinct 4 area. John Leon Kenney (25) of the 5000 block of The Alameda Rd 21239 has been charged with multiple counts of fourth-degree burglary and theft. He is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $25,000 bail. Sean Lamont Arrington (47) of the 3900 block of Wilsby Avenue 21218 has been charged with multiple counts of fourth-degree burglary and theft. He is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $20,000 bail. Detectives with the Pikesville Precinct Investigative Services Team began an investigation after several residents reported packages being stolen from in front of their homes. In two of the cases, mini-freezers ...
Baltimore, MD - May 25, 2016 -  Dear Community Members, Between 5/21/16 and 5/23/16, there were four thefts from motor vehicles in the Pikesville Precinct.  The first theft from motor vehicle was in the 700 block of Silver Creek Road. The second theft from motor vehicle occurred in the 7800 block of Nashua Circle.  The third and fourth thefts from motor vehicles occurred at the same location in the 700 block of Milford Mill Road.  There was no evidence of force used in any of the theft from motor vehicles. Please lock your vehicles doors at all times and remove any valuables!  Please be vigilant of suspicious subjects or vehicles roaming through the neighborhood.   If you notice any suspicious activity, safely get a good description of the subjects or ...
Jerusalem - In first remarks as Israel’s designated defense minister, right-wing settler Avigdor Lieberman joked about his fiery reputation: “I have undergone surgery to lengthen my fuse.” In a more serious vein, the Soviet-born 57-year-old struck a conciliatory note, emphasizing “a strong commitment, to the peace, to the final status agreement (with the Palestinians).” After Wednesday’s signing ceremony, military officers, diplomats and Palestinian leaders were left asking whether this combative figure would pursue a less confrontational line after he formally re-joins the cabinet next week.          Lieberman, who had a modest stint in Israel’s armed forces, has in the past threatened to bomb Egypt’s ...
Washington - Hmmm, wonder who he has in mind? A leading Senate Democrat is introducing legislation that would require presidential candidates to release their tax returns. Its chances of becoming law are nil. The Republican-controlled Congress has little incentive to embarrass Donald Trump, their presumptive presidential candidate. Trump has said he won’t unveil his returns until the IRS finishes auditing them. But with Democrats looking for every opportunity to focus negative attention on the billionaire candidate, Oregon Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden introduced the measure Wednesday. The bill would require the major parties’ presidential nominees to release their tax returns for the past three years. If they don’t, the Treasury Department — which oversees t...
Gaza City - Gaza’s Islamic militant Hamas rulers said Wednesday they intend to execute residents convicted of murder even without the needed approval of the Palestinian president. Hamas lawmakers “endorsed” 13 death sentences after mounting pressure from victims’ families. West Bank-based President Mahmoud Abbas has refused to approve the Hamas verdicts and the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights says he is deeply concerned over the imminent executions. “The Gaza authorities’ statements follow the demands of several families for the death penalty to be carried out against individuals accused of killing their relatives,” a spokesman for the commissioner, Rupert Colville, said. “Death sentences may only be carrie...
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