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 – Sept. 27, 2023 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Yosef Yaakov Markowitz & Shayna Goldie Osofsky on their engagement.
Mazel Tov to Mr. & Mrs. Moshe Markowitz and Mr. & Mrs. Azriel Osofsky
יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!
Baltimore, MD – Sept. 27, 2023 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Mordechai Cohen and Malka Mitnick on their engagement.
Mazel Tov to Mr. & Mrs. Dovid Cohen and Mr. & Mrs. David Mitnick and grandparents Mr. & Mrs. Searle Mitnick
יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!
Baltimore, MD – Sept. 27, 2023 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Zelig Glazer & Elana Lerner on their engagement.
Mazel Tov to Mr. & Mrs. Chaim Glazer and Rabbi & Mrs. Daniel Lerner and grandparents Rabbi & Mrs. Mordechai Glazer and Rabbi Dr. & Mrs. Ivan Lerner
יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!
The new Chabad Girls’ High School of Baltimore held a grand opening before Rosh Hashanah, attended by the founders, staff, teachers, parents and students.
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 27, 2023 - Decades after Chabad first came to Baltimore, and after years of planning, the local Lubavitcher community finally got a girls’ high school.
In recent years, the Chabad community of Baltimore has seen a population boom, with new families moving in every year. The city also boasts a large, thriving frum community, with many mosdos, schools, and yeshivos.
“Baltimore has a rich Lubavitch history dating back to 1889,” head shliach Rabbi Shmuel Kaplan told Anash.org for an article on the Baltimore community. “Since the establishment of the yeshiva t...
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 27, 2023 - Mrs. Reva Gold, a’h, was "our" secretary only as a side gig. Her primary job, and the task she took most seriously, was ensuring that every student had an on-site grandmother. How many times a day did she get up to get one of "her boys" some pretzels for a midday snack? How many hours spent sewing ripped pants and buttons back onto shirts? How many fights did she break up with her firm words but kind smile?
She never limited herself to her "job description". If she saw an untucked shirt, she wouldn't and couldn't allow you to walk around like that. If you needed a reminder of what a Ben Torah should look like or how a yid is supposed to talk and act, she was right there to refresh your memory. She knew each and every one of us by name...
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.
The Yom Kippur war merged tragedy and triumph, leaving us in a confusing state of sorrow mixed with joy. Initially stunned by a surprise attack, we courageously turned the tide, achieving daring victories on two fronts. Previous wars were easier to quantify and to comprehend. The Yom Kippur war was more puzzling, and still defies simple classification.
It is even more difficult to distill the religious meaning of this war. The War of 1948 established the first sovereign Jewish state in 1900 years. The unintended consequences of the Six-Day war returned us to our Biblical homeland and reunified Jerusalem. The hand of Hashem was readily apparent in each conflict.
Identifying the religious meaning of the Yom Kippur war is more challenging. This traumatic war didn’t reshape our borders...
GE Electric Range - Model JB258
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 27, 2023 - While GE appliances are not certified by STAR-K, we are providing this guidance as a service to consumers who may own this model.
In the course of recent STAR-K appliance lab testing, it has come to our attention that the GE Model JB258 electric oven has a serious issue with its uncertified Sabbath Mode feature. During testing, the electric heating element began to dim immediately when the oven door was opened.
HOW TO TEST:
Consumers may check whether they have this problem by conducting the following test:
Put the oven in Sabbath Mode.
Wait until the electric heating element glows FULL RED. (We suggest turning off the kitchen light to better see the glow.)
Open the oven door and count how many...
Roughly one-third of Saudi Arabian citizens would approve of cooperation with Israeli technology companies as an initial step toward normalization with the Jewish state, according to a study published by the Washington Institute on Sept. 18.
The participants of the study were asked to express their degree of support for potential unilateral steps the kingdom could take toward normalizing relations with Israel.
The study comes amid a concerted effort by the United States, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Israel to reach a tripartite deal that would involve defense guarantees from the U.S. and a civilian nuclear program for Saudi Arabia in exchange for diplomatic relations with Israel.
While an increase in business ties received some support, other steps proved very u...
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday formally apologized after the speaker of the House of Commons praised a Nazi veteran in the chamber while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was present.
Trudeau also said Ottawa had already reached out to Kyiv and Zelenskyy through diplomatic channels to apologize.
Anthony Rota, who publicly acknowledged veteran Yaroslav Hunka in the House last Friday and called him a hero, quit as speaker of the chamber on Tuesday and said he bore sole responsibility for what happened. Hunka, 98, was a Polish-born Ukrainian who served in one of Adolf Hitler's Waffen SS units during World War Two. He later emigrated to Canada.
Russia says the incident backs up its assertion that the war in Ukraine aims to "denazify" the country, a c...
Baltimore, MD – Oct. 7, 2022 – The following establishments will be open with a Sukkah:
Accents/Serengeti
Caramels Pizza
Cocoacinos/Pie 18
Croustille Café
David Chu
Goldbergs
Mama Leahs
Taam Thai
The Club
TOV Pizza
Yesh
Kosher Bite – No Sukkah - Open for take-out only
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 27, 2023 - After having just posted the announcement of Mrs. Reva Gold's petirah, we felt it appropriate to repost this story. This is for those who never had the privilege of knowing her, and for those who knew her, to reminisce about her infinite love and caring for each and every high school student.In half a century a lot can change in a high school, but one thing has always been dependable at Baltimore’s Talmudical Academy: Mrs. Reva Gold would always be in the office, taking care of “her boys” — from plying them with coffee and snacks to proofreading their essays
Riiiing! It’s 11:15 a.m., and Mrs. Reva Gold, the indefatigable secretary at Baltimore’s Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim Talmudical Academy, gives me a knowin...
Baltimore, MD – Sept. 27, 2023 - It is with regret that Baltimore Jewish Life (BJL) informs the community of the petira of Mrs. Reva Gold, a’h.
Mrs. Gold was the TA High School secretary for five decades. Her lifelong selfless dedication and devotion to the growth and development of our Yeshiva has eternally linked her name with this citadel of Torah.
Private Internment
Any further information will be forthcoming.
Bila Hamaves LaNetzach...
Rabbi Dovid Heber just sent the following to his Kehilla:
Baltimore, MD - Sept. 27, 2023 - Tonight may be the only possible night to recite Kiddush Levana this month. In Baltimore, one may recite Kiddush Levana tonight after 7:45 p.m. (tzeis hakochavim). The moon will set at 4:31 a.m. The National Weather Service is forecasting partly cloudy skies so if it is cloudy, keep checking for a clearly visible moon. They are forecasting the least cloud cover between 9:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.
While ideally Kiddush Levana should be recited “b’rov am” (according to the Chaye Adam that means reciting it with at least two other people), Kiddush Levana may be recited alone. So, given a possibly “very small window” of time, depending on the circumstance and how clear ...
Program Nurtures Talented Early-Career Professionals Committed to Long-term Jewish Community Activism
It’s a challenge that’s been troubling the Jewish community for years, and it’s only expected to magnify over time: from rabbis to teachers to kiruv professionals, there seems to be a shortage of talented professionals willing to fill communal leadership positions.
Recently, the OU launched the Executive Fellowship to invest in future nonprofit leadership and promote a culture of service and responsibility among emerging Jewish leaders. The 10-month program for early-career professionals exposes fellows to all aspects of the Jewish nonprofit world and hones their workplace skills, allowing them to pursue meaningful and impactful community work long-term, in whatever cap...
Washington, D.C. — Today, the OU applauded the Biden Administration's announcement admitting Israel into the U.S. Visa Waiver program.
This important policy change will allow Israeli citizens to travel freely to the U.S. without a visa, demonstrating the strength of the U.S.-Israel relationship and its importance to both countries.
The Orthodox Union had the privilege to work with many leading Jewish organizations that advocated for the inclusion of Israel into this program.
Orthodox Union Executive Vice President, Rabbi Moshe Hauer, said:
“Israel and America have an enduring relationship built on their shared democratic values and continue to grow their cooperation in military, diplomatic, technological, and economic matters. The admission...
The Israeli government has allocated a budget of over NIS 7 million for the Holocaust survivors' documentation project, a significant initiative aimed at creating a lasting memorial for Holocaust survivors through the collection of photographs. Leading this effort is Amichai Chikli, who serves as both the Social Affairs Minister and the Minister for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism. Chikli emphasized on Wednesday that this marks Israel's final opportunity to gather testimonies from the remaining Holocaust survivors.
In 2022, the government initiated Resolution 1916, with the goal of collecting photographic testimonies from Holocaust survivors worldwide. The primary objective was to make these testimonies accessible to the public for educational purposes and ...
The Shin Bet thwarted an Iranian attempt to carry out terrorist activity in Israel, including the intention of harming public personalities. Five were arrested, including two Israeli citizens, residents of Nazareth and Muqeible.
It was released for publication that Shin Bet activities, in cooperation with the Israel Police and IDF, exposed and thwarted a terrorist cell, which operated in Israel and the Judea and Samaria region, following guidance and direction of Iranian security officials in order to carry out acts of terrorism to undermine the stability of the State of Israel and the sense of security of its citizens.
The investigation resulted in the Shin Bet’s arrest of five suspects: three Arabs - Murad Kamamaja, a 47-year-old resident of Kafr Daan; Hassan Mujarimah, a 34-year...
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir announced on Wednesday that he has decided to cancel the prayer service that he planned to hold the next day at Dizengoff Square in Tel Aviv in response to the violent demonstration that occurred there on Yom Kippur, which disrupted a massive prayer service.
Earlier in the day, the organizers of the protest against Ben-Gvir's prayer service announced that their event would be moved from Dizengoff Square to Habima Square.
The organizers announced that the decision was made after a discussion with residents and to prevent provocations.
"In light of the announcement by the leaders of the far-left protest movement, according to which they would not repeat the antisemitic acts they committed on Yom Kippur, in which they worked to remove Jewish ...