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Baltimore, MD — Between tuition, groceries, busing, and everything that comes before Yom Tov, most Baltimore households aren't looking for one more thing to figure out. But there's one bill that can come down without anything changing at home.
Maryland's community solar program lets BGE customers draw their electricity from a local solar farm instead of putting panels on their own roof. BGE stays the utility — same wires, same service, same bill — and the savings appear as a credit on that bill. For Baltimore households, that's 20% off the electric bill.
Lower Your Bill handles the enrollment itself rather than passing names to a third party, and says both sides of the program are frum-run: the company managing the enrollment and the so...
Baltimore, MD – September 11, 2026 - As Rosh Hashanah approaches, Chaverim of Baltimore is reflecting on another remarkable year of service to the greater Baltimore community, with its volunteers responding to 5,538 calls since last Rosh Hashanah, up from 4,831 the previous year.
Those calls included 2,014 tire-related calls, 2,065 jump starts, 268 home lockouts, and 142 gas calls. Each represents a community member who needed assistance and a Chaverim volunteer who stepped away from his own responsibilities to help.
In a message to Chaverim volunteers, President Daniel Levy credited the organization’s continued growth to the selfless dedication and devotion of the volunteers.
“I look forward to another year of growth ahead, and may the zechus of your work bring bracha...
Baltimore, MD – September 11, 2025 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Mr. & Mrs. Dovid Teichman on the birth of a son
Mazel Tov to grandparents Mr. & Mrs. Michael Teichman and Mr. & Mrs. Chaim Glazer. Mazel Tov to the great grandparents Rabbi & Mrs. Mordechai Glazer.
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בתם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Wednesday September 9, Agudath Israel of America filed an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief in the Supreme Court of the United States in Grand v. City of University Heights, a case involving the right to hold religious gatherings in the home.
The case centers on Daniel Grand, a man who sought to organize an at-home minyan (a Jewish prayer gathering requiring a quorum of ten men) on the Jewish Sabbath. Because observant Jews cannot drive or use electronics on the Sabbath, the city’s alleged concerns regarding traffic and noise were entirely negated. Nonetheless, University Heights treated the gathering as “a home operating as a house of worship” and required Mr. Grand to obtain a special use permit, while also encouraging neighbors to report ga...
Baltimore, MD – September 11, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Gershon Yudkowsky and Shani Shuman on their engagement. Mazel Tov to the parents Chani and Ovadia Yudkowsky and Alisa Shuman and Ian Shuman.
!יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן
Even those of us who enjoyed poetry class probably do not look forward to reciting every Selichos said in the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah and throughout the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah. The words are unique and challenging, the meaning is deep and complex, and the overall thematic approach to these tefillos can easily be lost on many of us.
For Yeshiva students, there may be an additional challenge to these weeks: Selichos can sometimes feel like an opportunity to sleep a little later and still make it to Yeshiva on time!
At the Yeshiva of Greater Washington, we have been working to change that experience. Rather than simply beginning the day with a collection of complex Hebrew poetry, each division has looked for age-appropriate ways to help students understand what they are saying and c...
Traditionally, among Ashkenazi Jewry we spend a week or more of reciting Selichos in preparation of Rosh Hashana. Our Sephardic brethren have been at it since the beginning of Elul.
This collection of verses from TaNaCh, various prayers, and piyyutim are called סליחות — literally translated as 'forgiveness' in the plural.
It would seem to imply that we are begging repeatedly for forgiveness for our failings to live up to G-d's expectations.
Yet, a cursory glance at the text reveals that there are only a sparse number of requests for forgiveness. The bulk of the sentiments expressed therein acknowledge our having sinned and consequently having been downtrodden by our enemies, yet pine to return in restoring the glory days of being G-d's emissaries to t...
Baltimore, MD – September 10, 2026 - What a year it has been so far! The landscape of Torah Institute has changed dramatically as construction of their new building continues to move forward.
The retaining wall is making fast progress, and they are getting closer to clearing away the mountain and bringing the site to grade. This important milestone will allow them to begin the exciting phase of construction as the building starts to rise upward.
They look forward to the day when their new building will provide much-needed additional space for our 930+ talmidim and allow the Cheder to continue growing and thriving.
To learn more about this project, or to partner with them please visit their capital campaign website by clicking here: https://investintorah.com/
Wishi...
This year is going to be one of those strange times when we don't blow the Shofar on the first day of Rosh Hashanah, since it falls out on Shabbos Kodesh. The Gemara (Rosh Hashanah 29b) says we don't blow Shofar on Shabbos because of a g'zeira שמא יטלנו בידו וילך אצל הבקי ללמוד, perhaps you may take the Shofar in your hand and you'll go to an EXPERT to learn, and end up carrying four amos in the public domain.
Let's try to understand this on a deeper level.
Rebbe Nachman (Likutei Moharan, Torah 6) teaches that complete Teshuva requires being both בקי ברצוא AND בקי בשוב. The term רצוא refers to times of positive spiritual ascension, whereas שוב represents moments of falling. If a person only sees Hashem...
Baltimore, MD – September 10, 2026 - BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Greenhaus a"h, husband of Mrs. Miriam Greenhaus and father of
Rabbi Aryeh Leib Greenhaus
Rabbi Yosef Greenhaus
Mrs. Donya Magid
Mrs. Chaya Tikotzky
Rabbi Mordechai Greenhaus
Mrs. Breindy Litt
Rabbi Tzvi Greenhaus
Mrs. Baila Kamins
Mrs. Henny Diskind
Mrs. Matti Huttner
The Levaya will be tonight, Thursday, Sept. 10th at 6:30 pm at Cong. Sons of Israel Holocaust Memorial Chapel - Lakewood Chevra Kadisha, 613 Ramsey, Lakewood, NJ.
Shiva will be observed tonight thru tomorrow afternoon (Erev Rosh Hashana) at 61 Radin Village Dr. in Lakewood.
Zoom information:https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fus02web.zoom.us%2Fj%2F8120...
Magen David Adom Summarizes 5786 in Numbers as Jewish New Year Approaches
RAMLA, Israel: As the Jewish New Year approaches, Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's national emergency medical service, is looking back on a year of saving lives across the country, in routine emergencies and during times of war and crisis.
During the Hebrew year 5786, MDA marked 96 years of activity. Over the past year, MDA EMTs and paramedics were dispatched to 1,911,412 incidents, using thousands of mobile intensive care units (MICUs), ambulances, emergency motorcycles and rapid response vehicles operating throughout Israel. On average, an MDA emergency team was dispatched every 16.5 seconds.
MDA's 101 Emergency Call Center received 2,020,218 calls during the year, with a call answered every 15.9...
Baltimore, MD – September 8, 2026 - BJL regrets to inform the community of the petirah of Yaakov Miller (Yaakov ben Avraham Yitzchak haLevi) z"l, brother of Herschel Miller. Herschel Miller will be sitting shiva in New Jersey.
בלע המות לנצח
