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.
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What is so important about discussing domestic violence in the Jewish community? Do you know someone who lost legal rights to their children, or who had to be mandated for treatment for substance addiction? Why speak about addiction at all?
At Communities Confronting Substance Use & Addiction, our mission has always been to offer support to those struggling with substances and addiction, equip them with the knowledge and skills to cope with these challenges, and to create open dialogue in an effort to shatter the stigma associated with these issues.
Since our inception in 2018, we have been astounded by the multitude of people who have approached us with their own private struggles with addictions of all types, not just substances. We have received emails and phone calls from so many...
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Covid has been challenging for everyone. It has been especially difficult for Goli.
Goli Balakhani is a single, quadriplegic woman in our community, who has not been able to move for over 30 years.
A few years ago, Goli lost her ability to speak. She is confined to a bed and on a ventilator - an excruciatingly difficult situation to be in. And then came Covid and very limited visitation, exacerbating her already painful isolation.
Because of the past support from our wonderful community and others, we were able to hire an exceptional part-time aide for her who has helped offset her suffering tremendously. Funds for this important need are almost depleted. Please help us continue to provide Goli with this critical care.
She needs YOUR help NOW!
Please take...
Baltimore, MD - Dec. 8, 2021 - Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Police Commissioner Michael Harrison and Councilman Yitzy Schleifer led the Fallstaff Community in a safety walk highlighting the importance of community engagement in safety and security. Almost all Baltimore City agencies were represented as well as Hatzalah and Baltimore Shomrim Safety Patrol.
Thousands of Har Nof residents are shocked at a city decision to allow a 22-acre fuel storage depot below the neighborhood to continue operating for another 10 years.
Built in 1969, the depot is a source of noxious odors and may be a danger to people’s health. In 2016, residents went to court to remove a tank used to store noxious smelling heating oil.
“The Pi Glilot company is going from bad to worse,” said MK Yinon Azulai of Shas. “In addition to polluting the air for the elderly, children, and the entire population of Har Nof, they now want to prolong this disaster and poison the neighborhood’s residents for another 10 years. If this had happened in Tel Aviv, people would have taken to the streets.”
The issue was to be discussed in the Knesset Comm...
A Dutch appeals court on Tuesday ruled that Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz was immune from civil prosecution in the Netherlands in a case brought over the deaths of six Palestinians in an Israeli air strike.
The court upheld a lower court's finding of January 2020 that Gantz, as a high-ranking Israeli official carrying out government policy, could not be held liable in a Dutch civil case.
The plaintiff, Ismail Ziada - a Dutch national of Palestinian origin - said he lost his mother, three of his brothers, his sister-in-law and his nephew in the attack, which took place in Gaza in 2014 when Gantz was Israeli armed forces' commander-in-chief.
In the suit, Ziada sought unspecified damages against Gantz - a career soldier turned politician - under Dutch universal juris...
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.
An investigation into a major security breach at the home of Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz, surrounding a cleaner at his house who had not been vetted by the Shin Bet security agency being indicted for allegedly offering to spy for Iran, has ended with a written reprimand for two high-ranking Shin Bet officials, the agency announced on Tuesday evening.
Shin Bet head Ronen Bar appointed an external committee to probe how suspect Omri Goren—who had multiple criminal convictions—would have been employed at Gantz’s home. The committee was comprised of three retired Shin Bet officials, including two former department heads and a former division leader.
The committee submitted its findings to Bar, along with recommendations for action to be taken. The committee describ...
Amazon is deceiving consumers by failing to clearly delineate between paid advertisements and organic search results on its online marketplace, according to a coalition of unions, the latest barb in a long-running feud between the world’s biggest online retailer and organized labor.
In a complaint filed Wednesday with the Federal Trade Commission, the unions accuse Amazon of violating laws prohibiting unfair and deceptive practices. The coalition says mislabeled ads are so prevalent that Amazon’s search platform itself may be “deceptive as a whole.”
“The vast deception being perpetrated by Amazon through its blatantly unlawful advertising practices affects millions of consumers every day and should be halted,” the Strategic Organizing Center said in th...
President Joe Biden said today that putting additional U.S. troops on the ground in Ukraine is “not on the table” a day after warning Russian President Vladimir Putin in a video call that he would face severe economic sanctions if he mounts an invasion.
“I made very clear if in fact he invades Ukraine, there will be severe consequences, severe consequences, economic consequences like ones he’s never seen,” Biden told reporters as he left the White House en route to an event in Kansas City. “His immediate response was he understood that.”
Biden said an invasion would also lead to an increased U.S. presence in NATO countries in the region, but added that the United States would not unilaterally take military action against Russia in response.
Aske...
Americans are in line for their biggest wage increase in more than a decade, according to a report released Wednesday, as companies struggle against a tight labor market and high inflation.
Businesses are expected to bump up pay an average 3.9% in 2022, according to the Conference Board report. That’s the fastest wage growth since 2008.
Higher pay for new hires was the most commonly cited reason for the uptick, according to the nonprofit business group, suggesting labor shortages and high turnover across industries could be giving employees more leverage. Inflation, which is higher than it has been in about 30 years, was the second most commonly cited factor.
The Conference Board’s survey asks human resources executives about their compensation plans for the coming year. The...
Nearly two years into a coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 5 million people, every country, including the United States, remains dangerously unprepared to respond to future epidemic and pandemic threats, according to a report released Wednesday assessing the efforts of 195 countries.
Researchers compiling the Global Health Security Index – a project of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a D.C.-based nonprofit global security group, and the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security at the Bloomberg School of Public Health – found insufficient capacity in every country, which they said left the world vulnerable to future health emergencies, including some that might be more devastating than covid-19.
The assessment of each country’s ability to prevent, detect and r...
The mayor of a Spanish village whose former name was an ugly reminder of the country’s medieval persecution of its Jewish population has vowed to carry on with plans for a Sephardic memory centre despite an antisemitic graffiti attack this week.
Seven years ago, the 52 eligible residents of Castrillo Matajudíos – Camp Kill Jews in English, voted in a referendum to change the village’s name back to Castrillo Mota de Judíos, which means Jews’ Hill Camp. The name change was formally approved by the regional government of Castilla y León in June 2015.
Documents show the village’s original name was Jews’ Hill Camp and that the Kill Jews name dates from 1627 – 135 years after the edict that ordered Spain’s Jews to convert to ...
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett referred to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as the "Jewish-Palestinian conflict" during a hearing on a case concerning public funding of religious schools on Wednesday.
"How would you even know if a school taught all religions are bigoted and biased or Catholics are bigoted or, you know, we take a position on the Jewish-Palestinian conflict because of our position on, you know, Jews, right?" said Barrett in a question directed at Maine Chief Deputy Attorney-General.
The case being heard by the Supreme Court was Carson v. Makin, which centers on Maine's school tuition payment program that excludes schools that promote a faith or belief. Two families sued after they were denied tuition assistance, arguing that the program viol...
The Senate on Wednesday voted to nix President Biden’s vaccine mandate for larger businesses, handing Republicans a symbolic win.
Senators voted 52-48 on the resolution, which needed a simple majority to be approved. Democratic Sens. Jon Tester (Mont.) and Joe Manchin (W.Va.) voted with Republicans, giving it enough support to be sent to the House.
The resolution faces an uphill path in the House, where Republicans aren’t able to use a similar fast-track process to force a vote over the objections of Democratic leadership. Instead, Republicans are hoping to get the simple majority needed to force a vote through a discharge petition, which will require support from a handful of House Democrats.
But Republicans view Wednesday&rsqu...
A group of seasoned educators were once having a discussion reminiscing about their student days. The question arose as to which particular teacher had the most impact on them. Each member of the group shared an anecdote or lesson that had made a lasting impression. The one “wining” story that seemed to impress everyone did not relate to teaching style or volume of material. This incident centered around how a teacher displayed so much sensitivity for the students that he was willing to belittle himself rather than possibly embarrass even one child.
In this classroom, the system of discipline was to write a child’s name on the board for breaking any of the class rules. Each subsequent infraction would be given a check next to that child’s name. At recess or lunchti...
Agudath Israel of America is welcoming the news that a provision mandating women to register for the military draft has been dropped from the FY 2022 defense bill.
Registration with the Selective Service System would be utilized in the event that the draft is reinstated and there is need to mobilize the armed forces for military conflict or national emergency.
It was a surprising development, as pressure has mounted over the years to require women to register for the draft and as bipartisan support for the measure has broadened. However, strong opposition from a group of senators, led by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), highlighted the contentious nature of the provision, and when negotiations over the defense bill stalled it was stripped out.
Agudath Isra...
A girl from a religious home once told me how difficult it is for her to separate between resentment she harbors toward her religious environment and resentment toward the Torah itself. Many people have a score to settle with their milieu, with the religious sector in which they grew up – with teachers, with neighbors, with parents. Sometimes the experiences they endured were truly terrible. But then they decide to throw away everything, the whole package, including the Holy One Blessed be He.Yosef, in this week’s Torah portion, had all the excuses and good reasons in the world to leave his family’s faith and turn his back on God. His brothers hated him, threw him into a pit, and sold him to a passing caravan. He could easily have decided to cut himself off from everythin...
Alphabet’s Google Pay launched in Israel on Tuesday and will allow Android mobile-phone users to purchase products in stores using wireless payments.
According to Reuters, Israel’s banks and credit-card companies said they signed agreements with Google to offer the new service.
According to Bank of Israel data, about two-thirds of payment locations in Israel support wireless payments.
Apple Pay was launched in Israel in May for users with iPhones, which an estimated 30 percent of Israelis use.
Center-left leader Olaf Scholz on Wednesday became Germany’s ninth post-World War II chancellor, opening a new era for the European Union’s most populous nation and largest economy after Angela Merkel’s 16-year tenure.
Scholz’s government takes office with high hopes of modernizing Germany and combating climate change but faces the immediate challenge of handling the country’s toughest phase yet of the coronavirus pandemic.
Lawmakers voted 395-303 with six abstentions to elect Scholz — a comfortable majority, though short of the 416 seats his three-party coalition holds in the 736-seat lower house of parliament. Merkel, who is no longer a member of parliament, looked on from the spectators’ gallery as parliament voted. Lawmak...
Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and MKs from the coalition voted against Likud MK Eli Cohen's bill which would expel the families of terrorists from Israel.
The bill failed to pass, with 57 MKs voting against it compared to 45 voting in favor.
Religious Zionism party chairman MK Bezalel Smotrich pointed out Bennett's past support for similar bills and accused: "It was Bennett before he sold his soul to supporters of terrorism in the Islamic Movement for political survival and has now dropped - in collaboration with the Joint List - the law for the deportation of terrorists' families."
MK Moshe Arbel (Shas) called the prime minister a "terrorist supporter" after he voted against the law that the Yamina faction had previously supported. Opposition members shouted at Bennett ...