Baltimore, MD - Apr. 23, 2026 - Ohr Chadash Academy (OCA) once again hosted their annual community-wide Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration, welcoming over 1,000 members of the Baltimore community for a truly special day. Following a beautiful tekes, this year’s carnival-style program focused on Israel’s rebuilding, with participants enjoying hands-on activities like decorating suncatchers, writing letters to volunteers rebuilding the south, creating an edible Kotel, exploring the shuk, and so much more.

Next year in Yerushalayim!


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Baltimore, MD – Apr. 20, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Moish Frand and Blumi Rajchenbach  on their engagement.

Mazel Tov Rabbi & Mrs. Yaakov Frand and Mr. & Mrs. Yossi Rajchenbach

Mazel Tov to grandparents Rabbi & Mrs. Yissocher Frand and Rabbi & Rebetzin Zvi Teichman      

יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!

Baltimore, MD — April 23, 2026 - 7:03AM - (BJL) A confirmed gas leak has caused the complete closure of a critical intersection in Pikesville this morning, paralyzing northbound traffic and triggering significant delays throughout the region.

Emergency Utility Closure: As of approximately 7:00 AM, Baltimore County emergency crews and Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) responded to the intersection of Reisterstown Road (MD 140) and Hooks Lane for a report of a utility emergency.

BGE officials later confirmed the cause to be a significant natural gas leak requiring immediate repair.

Traffic Impact: Northbound Reisterstown Road is heavily restricted and effectively closed at the Hooks Lane intersection. This closure is creating a severe bottleneck for commuters traveling from the Baltimore Beltway (I-695) toward Owings Mills. Morning traffic is reported to be diverted or stalled for miles, with delays exceeding 45 minutes on affected surface streets.

Official Guidance and Detours: Transportation officials are urging motorists to avoid the Pikesville area if possible and seek alternate routes. The Northbound Reisterstown Road closure is expected to remain in place until BGE crews can safely repair the leak and restore the roadway.

For those already en route, the following detours are recommended to bypass the affected intersection:

• West Detour: Take Greene Tree Road to Mount Wilson Lane, which can bring you back to Reisterstown Road further north near the Woodholme Center.
• East Detour: Utilize Park Heights Avenue to travel north, then cross over via Old Court Road to return to the Reisterstown/Pikesville area.
• I-695 Bypass: If traveling from the Beltway, motorists should stay on I-695 and use the Northwest Expressway (I-795) to reach Owings Mills directly, bypassing Pikesville surface streets entirely.

Emergency responders remain on the scene.

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 23, 2026 –  BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira Mrs. Messody Benhamou, a’h, mother of Mrs. Annie Attar.

Levaya and Shiva details to follow

בלע המות לנצח

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 23, 2026 - The vacancy rate is rising at the Towson Town Center, as Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill is the next business to file for closure.

The restaurant is set to close on June 26th, according to the Maryland Department of Labor's website.

This closure comes as Capitol Luggage & Leather prepares to leave the mall this month after 15 years. 

Nearly two weeks ago, the Apple store announced it would be closing in June due to the “departure of several retailers and declining conditions," according to a company statement.

President Herzog: “My dream is to get into a car and drive straight to Beirut, to visit that beautiful city, to befriend the good people of Lebanon.”

Jerusalem, Israel - Apr. 23, 2026 - On April 22, 2026, President Isaac Herzog hosted a reception for ambassadors, diplomats, military attachés, and faith leaders in honor of Israel’s 78th Independence Day at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, Israel. 

The event was attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gideon Sa’ar, who spoke of warming relations and peace in the region. Ambassadors and military attaches from around the world posted in Israel enjoyed wine and dairy delicacies from food businesses from the north and south of Israel affected by the war.

In a moving moment, former hostage pianist Alon Ohel and his brother Ronen Ohel performed on stage near the end of the ceremony.

President Isaac Herzog remarks:

“We are delighted to welcome you to the President’s Residence to celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut, 78 years of Israel’s independence.

“These are historic times we are living in. Times of tectonic shifts in the Middle East that I pray will usher in a hopeful future. This is a time in which the choices made by leaders and nations, even at this very moment, can shape our region for generations to come.

“I take this opportunity to thank President Donald J. Trump and the United States of America for the unique partnership in confronting the empire of evil from Iran and pursuing a historic change, and I welcome the representatives of the American Armed Forces here this morning.

“The war against Iran and its many proxies is not a war of choice. There comes a time when a country must fight for itself, fight to defend its people, and ensure its future. Iran aims to obliterate Israel, to dominate the Middle East, and to overthrow the values nurtured by the entire free world, so this is a battle for the future of all of our children.

“When Israel's First President, Dr. Chaim Weizmann, first hosted this reception in 1949, then in Tel Aviv, naturally, there was not a single diplomatic representative of an Arab or Muslim nation. But here today, we wholeheartedly welcome diplomats from Arab and Muslim countries from all across who represent the hope for peace and the fraternity to which we aspire.

“I pray we will see more and more countries joining the Abraham Accords, just as we have here representatives from the UAE and Bahrain, and more nations from our region normalizing relations with us. Already, we are seeing that the partnerships we have forged to combat the axis of terror and extremism are generating opportunities for a new alliance to take shape in our region: an alliance of responsibility, pragmatism, and hope.

“Israel is eager to work with all of you to help shape a Middle East in which all of our sons and daughters can inherit opportunity instead of fear. That they inherit the promises of tomorrow, and not the conflicts of yesterday. I recently said to Israeli school kids that my dream is to get into a car and drive straight to Beirut, to visit that beautiful city, to befriend the good people of Lebanon, those who share a prayer with us for a better future. I salute the teams who will hopefully gather tomorrow in Washington, D.C., and wish them great success in pursuing peace between Israel and Lebanon. But in order to reach that point, Israel must ensure the safety of its borders.

“I pray that, please God, when we all gather again next year, may we speak of the war only in the past tense, and enjoy the blessings of peace, in Israel, with our neighbors, near and far, and all around the world! Happy Independence Day!"



One important annual Yom Haatzmaut event where international dignitaries can meet, mingle, and celebrate together. 
























Baltimore, MD – Apr. 23, 2026 –  BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of  R' Yona Feldman, z’l.

The Levaya will be held today at 4:00 pm at Levinson's.   

Shiva will be observed at 6103 Benhurst Rd, Baltimore, MD  21209, beginning with Mincha/Maariv this evening at 7:35.

Details  to follow

בלע המות לנצח

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 23, 2026 –  BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Tzemach Wilansky, z'l, father of  Rabbi David Leib Wilansky.

Rabbi Wilansky will observe shiva in Baltimore beginning  Thursday evening  at 7109 Pheasant Cross Drive, Baltimore, MD 21209  

Minyanim 
* Thu: Mincha 7:35 PM | Maariv 8:20 PM  
* Fri: Shacharis 7:30 AM | Mincha 3:00 PM  
* Motzaei Shabbos: Maariv 8:40 PM  
* Sun: Shacharis 8:00 AM

*Visiting Hours:*  
* Thu: 7:30–10:00 PM  
* Fri: 8:00–10:00 AM; 1:00–3:00 PM  
* Motzei Shabbos: until 10:00 PM

US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he has ordered the US Navy to eliminate any boat caught laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

"I have ordered the United States Navy to shoot and kill any boat, small boats though they may be, that is putting mines in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. There is to be no hesitation." The President wrote on Truth Social.

In parenthisis, Trump mockingly explained why the boats laying mines are small: "Their naval ships are ALL, 159 of them, at the bottom of the sea!"

He also noted that US minesweepers "are clearing the Strait right now. and that he is "hereby ordering that activity to continue, but at a tripled-up level!"

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 23, 2026 - Explore the latest issue of Baltimore Jewish Home.

Click on the graphic below:


Baltimore, MD - Apr. 22, 2026 - On Monday and Tuesday morning of last week, Safe Green Transit drivers arrived at their dispatch location to find that two buses had been vandalized. One sustained significant damage to the rear windows, costing thousands of dollars to repair.
Police were called and a report was filed.
As a local community nonprofit organization, Safe Green Transit reached out to Shomrim to request assistance. Shomrim verified with the local police precinct that there would be regular patrols in the area and deployed a camera trailer for surveillance at the site.



Baltimore, MD – Apr. 22, 2026 –  BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of  Mark Leslie Edelman, z’l, brother of Dr. Robert (Marge) Edelman.

The Levaya will be graveside at Chevra Ahavas Chesed Cemetery, 9780 Liberty Road, Randallstown, Maryland 21133, on Thursday, April 23rd, 2026, at 1:00 pm.

Shiva will be observed at Park Towers West (corner building) 7121 Park Heights Ave #409 Baltimore, MD 21215.

Details to follow

בלע המות לנצח

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 22, 2026 - The third-grade class at Yeshivas Toras Simcha had a special visitor.  Ryan Pinson, SVP & Senior Commercial Banker and Team Lead at WesBanco Bank, Inc., joined for a lively session on financial literacy. He spoke with the students about the importance of saving and introduced the idea of delayed gratification - why it can be worth waiting and planning instead of spending right away. Through engaging examples and discussion, the students began to see how thoughtful money choices can make a big difference over time.





Baltimore, MD - Apr. 21, 2026 - A highly contagious virus that causes severe vomiting and diarrhea in young children is circulating at elevated levels nationwide, including in Maryland, health officials warn.

Infants and toddlers are at the highest risk of developing rotavirus, which can result in dangerous dehydration, sometimes requiring hospitalization. Symptoms can include frequent vomiting, watery diarrhea and fever, and may last several days or a week.

Rates of rotavirus have been steadily increasing since January, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. In the CDC’s Northeast region, which includes Maryland, the percentage of positive tests spiked to 9.6 percent for the week of April 11, up from 3.23 percent the week before.

Data from the Wastewater Scan, a cooperative effort between Stanford University and Emory University, show that rotavirus rates are increasing the most in the Midwest and the West.

Washington, D.C. - Apr. 21, 2026 - US President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that the ceasefire in Iran would be extended until the Iranian leadership submits a proposal for a deal.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump made clear that the US naval blockade will remain in place until an Iranian proposal is submitted.

"Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal," Trump wrote.

“I have therefore directed our Military to continue the Blockade and, in all other respects, remain ready and able, and will therefore extend the Ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other," he added.

Jerusalem, Israel - Apr. 21, 2026 - As I sit here in the Gush Etzion cemetery, beside the graves of Ari Fuld, Lucy Dee, and 17 newly fallen soldiers from this war—along with so many other victims of terror—I’m trying to put into words what feels almost impossible to express.

Hundreds of people are around us, swaying in song and prayer. The emotion here isn’t abstract. It’s heavy. It’s alive.

I grew up in Baltimore, where Yom Hazikaron was something distant—“a sad day in Israel.” I tried to connect to it, but the truth is, unless you’re here, you can’t fully understand it.

The closest way to describe it is this: it’s a national shiva.

Minister of Finance Betzalel Smotrich at the grave of Ari Fuld

An entire country pauses. People gather in cemeteries, in homes, at ceremonies. Everywhere you go, you feel it. We come together to hold the families who carry unbearable loss—not just today, but every day. For 24 hours, we stand with them. We sing with them. We cry with them.

It is a day that is at once heartbreaking, holy, and somehow comforting.
The deepest sadness, alongside an overwhelming pride to be part of this nation—both existing together in a way that’s hard to explain.

It feels like Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av wrapped into one uniquely Israeli experience.

A few things hit me deeply today.

First—how many people around us carry pain we cannot see. People we interact with every day are holding losses we may never fully understand. Today, we all stop and share that weight together.

Second—give people the benefit of the doubt. You truly don’t know what someone else is carrying.

Last night, as the siren sounded to open Yom Hazikaron, a woman standing in front of us collapsed into sobbing. It wasn’t quiet—it pierced through everyone there.
Later we learned her son was killed fighting in Gaza.

That moment stays with you.

As a nation, we are exhausted. The past two and a half years have taken a toll. And yet—watching the younger generation stand together, singing through tears, gives real hope. There is strength here. There is resilience.

And then comes the transition that only Israel knows how to make.

Even as I write this, messages are coming in on my phone about tomorrow’s musical Hallel—about coming together to give thanks for a state that continues to survive and thrive through what feels like daily miracles.

That’s who we are.

Today we cry together.
Tonight we gather for a bbq and make a L’Chaim together. 
Tomorrow we give thanks together. 

Different emotions, back to back—but one constant:
I believe that these days are our people’s “secret  sauce.” 

We are one people. One family.

As I was leaving the cemetery, I found myself wondering where Leo Dee and his children were—the family of Lucy, Maia Dee, and Rina Dee.
I thought maybe it was simply too painful for them to be there with the large crowds 

On the drive home, I got my answer.

The national ceremony was playing live on the radio. They called upon Rabbi Leo Dee to recite Kaddish—for the entire nation to hear.

Kaddish, the central Jewish prayer sanctifying God’s name, doesn’t mention death at all. Instead, it affirms faith, praises God’s greatness, and prays for peace—even in the depths of grief.

That’s who we are as a nation.

The video above is incredibly powerful.  It was filmed at Mount Herzl during the official national ceremony. You hear Hatikvah being sung, followed by the formal announcement that the ceremony has ended.  But then—something remarkable happens.  The crowd doesn’t disperse. Instead, people begin singing together, spontaneously—Ani Ma’amin.  “I believe with complete faith in the coming of the Messiah…”  In that moment, you feel it. Not just mourning—but unity, faith, and a deep national longing for something better and bigger




The 17 new graves of soldiers who fell during the current war.

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 21, 2026 – 7:16PM (BJL) A major accident at the intersection of Willow Glen & Greenspring is blocking all access down Willow Glen towards Pimlico

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 20, 2026 (BJL) – FASTMED Urgent Care has confirmed a case of measles at its clinic located at 2827 Smith Ave. in Baltimore, MD.

Upon identification of the case, FASTMED said it immediately initiated established infection control protocols and coordinated with public health authorities. Individuals who may have been exposed during the relevant time period were directly contacted and provided with appropriate guidance.

Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Early symptoms typically include fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, followed by a characteristic rash. While most individuals recover fully, certain populations—including young children, pregnant individuals, and those with weakened immune systems—may be at higher risk for complications.

FASTMED noted that the majority of people in the United States are vaccinated against measles, which provides strong protection and significantly reduces the risk of widespread transmission. As a result, the overall risk to the general public remains low, particularly for those who are fully vaccinated.

The clinic stated that all appropriate notifications have been completed and that infection prevention procedures remain in place.

Anyone who believes they may have symptoms or exposure concerns is encouraged to contact FASTMED or their healthcare provider before visiting in person so appropriate precautions can be taken.

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 20, 2026 - The Maryland Department of Agriculture’s quarantine order for spotted lanternfly declares the entire state a quarantine area as part of an ongoing effort to slow the pest’s spread.

David Gruchot, the United States Department of Agriculture assistant national policy manager with APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine, said the insects are expected to return this year, with hatch and first instar activity underway now through June.

“Adults are roughly one inch long and one and a half inches wide,” Gruchot said. “They have brown wings with black spots for the most part, but when they open their wings when they fly, they have colorful hind wings that are scarlet with black spots.”

Spotted lanternflies also excrete a sticky, sugary substance known as honeydew, which can lead to sooty mold and further damage plants.

Dr. Dawson was the Board’s unanimous selection to begin on July 1; he currently serves as the Deputy Superintendent of Academic Services at the School District of Philadelphia

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 20, 2026 – Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners (Board) today announced the unanimous selection of Dr. Jermaine Dawson to serve as the district’s next Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools), effective July 1, 2026. Dr. Dawson is an accomplished K-12 leader who currently serves as the deputy superintendent of academic services at the School District of Philadelphia. He succeeds Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises, who will step down at the end of June after a decade at the helm.

“The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners is thrilled to collaborate with an accomplished educational leader as Dr. Jermaine Dawson,” said Board Chair Robert Salley. “His diverse leadership roles throughout his career will be a tremendous asset, as he helps propel our district by pushing students toward success while advocating for the district’s needs. At the same time, it’s important that we recognize the achievements from our outstanding 10-year partnership with Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises.”

“Dr. Dawson shares my commitment to giving every single young person in our city the support and resources they need to reach their full potential,” said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “Under the leadership of Dr. Santelises, we have made historic progress: building new, 21st century schools, improving attendance, and expanding opportunity for our students. I am confident that Dr. Dawson has the experience and values to lead us into this next chapter, and look forward to working with him to shape the future of Baltimore City Public Schools.”

Dr. Dawson has held key leadership positions in education across multiple states, with a track record of improving student outcomes, increasing graduation rates, and reducing dropout rates. His work has been recognized in publications such as the New York Times and Forbes, has been named one of the 100 Top Influencers in Education by DA Leadership, and has been selected to participate in prestigious education summits worldwide. He will support districtwide efforts to propel City Schools’ high-performing and caring learning culture. 

The Board commissioned an executive search group to engage with key stakeholders, including students, families, community members, staff, elected officials, and school administrators, to gather input on issues affecting the area. The Community Engagement Report helped shape the decision on choosing the district’s new CEO.  

Dr. Dawson will focus on collaborating with the Board to implement and build upon strategies and initiatives for the district, including valuing student perspectives, pursuing operational excellence, communicating clearly and transparently, elevating staff expertise, and allocating resources equitably.

“I am honored to lead City Schools at such a pivotal moment,” said Dr. Dawson. “Together with our students, educators, families, and community, we will build on the district’s strong foundation and accelerate progress to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed. I look forward to partnering with the Board and our community to make Baltimore City Public Schools one of the top urban school districts in the country.”

In his role at the School District of Philadelphia, Dr. Dawson focused on improving student and teacher attendance and dropout rates. Prior to this role, he served as the Chief Academic and Accountability Officer for Birmingham City Schools. Other roles during his career include senior leadership roles at the Houston Independent School District, Duval County Public Schools, Fulton County Schools, and Charter Schools USA. He is a former elementary and middle school math teacher and served as an elementary and middle school principal in Atlanta Public Schools.

Dr. Dawson holds a doctorate degree in educational leadership from Northcentral University, a master’s degree in educational leadership from Kennesaw State University, a master’s degree in mathematics education from Nova Southeastern University, and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Morehouse College.

“It has been my pleasure to serve Baltimore City Public Schools for the past 10 years,” said Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises. “I am confident Dr. Dawson will continue to move the district forward and expand opportunities for our students.”

The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners establishes and approves the policies that govern Baltimore City Public Schools. The Board consists of 12 members: nine members appointed by the Mayor of Baltimore City, two members elected in a citywide election by the residents of Baltimore City, and one elected student commissioner elected by fellow middle and high school students.

Mossad, IDF and ISA Joint Announcement: The Fight to Thwart Terrorism Continues – Exposure of a Secret Iranian Terrorist Network behind an Assassination and Terrorism Campaign Targeting Senior Israeli Officials and Strategic Objectives in Israel and around the World

Jerusalem, Israel - Apr. 20, 2026 - The Mossad, the IDF, and the Shin Bet are, for the first time, exposing a secret Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) terrorist network, mission of which is to strike at senior Israeli officials and strategic infrastructure globally.

This disclosure comes against the backdrop of a series of targeted strikes carried out by the Israel Air Force (IAF) during Operation Roaring Lion, which resulted in the elimination of senior officials and key operatives within this clandestine terrorist network. This effort was accompanied by intensive Mossad activity and its partners among international security and law enforcement agencies, peaking in extensive arrests and investigations of terrorist cell members acting on behalf of the network worldwide.

Several weeks ago in Azerbaijan, a terrorist infrastructure was neutralized. It had been promoting attempts to strike a strategic target, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline, as well as several Jewish targets and institutions in the country, including the Israeli Embassy, the synagogue in Baku, and Jewish community leaders.

Members of the operational cell were arrested by Azerbaijani authorities while in possession of explosive drones and fragmentation charges that had been smuggled into the country. To realize their intentions, the cell worked to gather intelligence on targets using various methods, including physical surveillance and photography, all under direct orders from their handlers in Iran.

This exposure, alongside strenuous intelligence investigation and operational activities on the ground, led to the uncovering of the secret terrorist network that has been established within the IRGC and its chain of command.

The head of the secret attacks network was led by Rahman Moqadam, who also served as the Head of the Special Operations Division (Unit 4000) within the IRGC Intelligence Organization. Moqadam was struck by the Israeli Air Force (IAF) at the beginning of Operation Roaring Lion. Unit 4000 is responsible for promoting and directing terrorist activities outside of Iran against Israeli and Western targets, as well as attempting to smuggle advanced weaponry into Israeli territory. These activities were carried out under the guidance, and knowledge, of senior IRGC official Majid Khademi, who headed the IRGC Intelligence Organization, who was also eliminated by the IDF during Operation Roaring Lion.

As head of the mechanism, Moqadam advanced global terrorist efforts in recent years. This activity included recruitment and training of terrorist operative both inside and outside Iran to collect intelligence on senior Israeli political figures, members of the Israeli security community, and military sites (both Israeli and Western).

Under Moqadam’s command, a central figure named Mohsen Suri who served as a primary operator and leader in the secret attacks network, while simultaneously holding a senior position in Unit 4000. Suri was also eliminated during the war in an IAF strike, guided by intelligence from the Mossad and ISA, who located the emergency safe house where he had been staying, alongside other IRGC officials.
Suri took a significant part in the network’s activities outside Iran, participating in numerous operational rounds where he met with local terrorist cells to direct field missions.

Alongside Suri, other IRGC officers operated across Europe, the Middle East, and Azerbaijan. Notable among them is Mehdi Yeka-Dehqan, known as "The Doctor," who led terror efforts in Azerbaijan. 

Dehqan has been known since January 2026 following the arrest of an operational infrastructure in Turkey. Under his guidance, this cell promoted the smuggling of explosive drones from Iran to Turkey and then to Cyprus, as well as intelligence collection on the Incirlik US Air Force Base in Adana. Similar missions targeting Western bases have been exposed previously, such as during Operation Rising Lion, in which Azeri nationals were arrested on suspicion of gathering intelligence on Israeli targets, and military bases in Cyprus and Crete.

In recent years, the Iranian regime has utilized various security and intelligence agencies to promote dozens of attack vectors against Israeli, Jewish, and Western targets.

Operation Roaring Lion has led to a further unbridling of Iranian aggression in the region, including efforts to expand their capabilities. In this context, it is known that personnel within the network are also operating in cooperation with additional axis elements, such as pro-Iranian militias in Iraq, to carry out planned attacks.

Despite the Iranian strategy, which views terrorist activity as a complementary arm to offensive military efforts against Israel, it is evident that the thwarting of terrorist infrastructures challenges Iran's ability to use this tool effectively in accordance with its aspirations.

The exposure of the attack networks operated by the Iranian regime has proven time and again its distinct failure to create a space of deniability; it expresses the collapse of the Iranian mode of operation, which strives to carry out terrorism in isolation from Iran in order to avoid the political, legal, and economic consequences it might otherwise pay.

The Mossad, IDF and ISA, together with their partners in intelligence and security agencies worldwide, will continue to act tirelessly and with determination to thwart terrorist threats in Israel and abroad by Iran and its proxies.

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 20, 2026 –  BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of  Dr. Laszlo Leb, z’l, father of  Ilana Benz.

The levayah will take place in Providence, RI, tomorrow, April 21, 2026.

Shiva details to  follow

בלע המות לנצח

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 20, 2026 –  BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of  Glila Yocheved bas Yehoshua, a’h, mother of  Chaniel Finegold.

Shiva will be observed at 6113 Berkeley Ave. Unit C2. Mount Washington Bartol Manor (Enter the apartment from the ground floor in the back - 2705 Bartol will be on your left.)

Shacharis 8:30 (through Wed. morning)

Mincha/Maariv 7:35

בלע המות לנצח

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 20, 2026 – When the BOOST application window opened in early March, Agudah Maryland released its annual information guide and noted that final household eligibility figures were still pending federal updates. With last week's release of the 2026-27 income guidelines, new numbers are now available. Many families with household income slightly above last year’s limits may now qualify for tuition assistance through the program.
Please find the letter below, with the updated figures, to see if your household is eligible. 
As indicated on the info sheet, the Agudah Maryland office is standing by to provide assistance to any family with their BOOST application.


Baltimore, MD - Apr. 20, 2026 - When current Baltimore City Schools CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises departs at the end of June, she’ll do so as the district’s longest serving leader in nearly 80 years.

But is the school system in a better place now, than when she took over in 2016? Project Baltimore found that when it comes to many student performance metrics, the answer appears to be no.

July 1, 2016, was day one for Baltimore City Schools’ CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises.

“There has to be a collective accountability for our young people,” Dr. Sonja Santelises said back in April of 2016. “We should have a demonstrated track record of growth and progress.”

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 20, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Nachy and Yali Smith on the birth of a son.

‎יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן

Odelia’s Thank You List

Odelia Eliav is the mother of Adiel, a paratrooper who was moderately wounded in Lebanon and is now hospitalized at Rambam Medical Center. From there, she began sharing updates unlike any others.

At first, she simply kept people posted about the injury, the surgery, and the recovery. But by the next day, I saw a different kind of update from her: a list of thank-yous, one after another. “Thank you for the conversation with Ayala, the social worker, a remarkable woman. Thank you that the children came from Jerusalem to visit. Thank you that Adiel was able to drink. Thank you that Adiel was able to sit up. Thank you for the flowers and food sent by Ehud’s workplace. Thank you for the room they gave us here at Chabad House. Thank you for the IDF Disabled Veterans Organization. Thank you that I am learning to accept help. Thank you that Adiel is not connected to machines.”

And it continued the next morning: “Thank you for a shower that brought me back to myself. Thank you for the friends who are sending love and encouragement. Thank you that our neighbor Smadar sent the children plenty of delicious food. Thank you that I am here and not at Mount Herzl cemetery. Thank you that the bathroom is so close and convenient. Thank you that Adiel was able to eat some of Tehila’s pancake.”

Over the course of the week, thousands of women were exposed to these words of gratitude. Odelia told me that her mother has been keeping a personal gratitude journal for years, and that is where the idea came from. She has been receiving extraordinary responses, the kind that shift the way people see their own lives. “The way we speak is sacred. I begin every morning with a list of thank-yous, because we determine what story we are telling ourselves. There is always so much to be grateful for.”

Between Holocaust Remembrance Day and Memorial Day, Odelia reminds us that this is not only a private story. It is also a choice about how we tell our shared national story.

Just before publishing this piece, I took one more look at her latest update: “Thank you that I was able to pray. Thank you that I cried and fell apart, and then got up again. Thank you that I went to the beach in Haifa. It was magical. Thank you that I have the wisdom to say thank you.”

So, thank you, Odelia. Wishing Adiel a complete recovery.

Israel’s Surprising Happiness Gap

This year as well, Israel ranked 8th out of 140 countries in the 2026 World Happiness Report_._ Compare that with another country at war, Ukraine, which ranked 111th.

It is a striking statistic, especially when it comes to young people. Israelis under 25 were ranked the happiest age group in the country and the third happiest worldwide. In the United States, by contrast, happiness among the same age group fell to 60th place.

Former Prisoner of Zion Natan Sharansky and historian Gil Troy offer three explanations, all of which we can see around us.

The first is birthrate. Faced with the murder of more than 1,800 Israelis on and after October 7, the response has not been only grief, but also life: a baby boom taking place — not after the war, but during it. While birthrates across the West continue to fall, Israelis still have a deep faith in life, in continuity, in the future.

The second explanation is tradition. Ninety-six percent of Jewish Israelis took part last week in the oldest ritual in the Western world: the Pesach Seder. Jews do not merely remember their history. They live it. Through prayers, songs, food, and customs, they carry it forward from generation to generation, seeing themselves as if they personally had gone out of Egypt.

British historian Paul Johnson once put it well: “No people has ever insisted more firmly than the Jews that history has a purpose and humanity a destiny.” Despite all the political divisions, most Israelis still feel they are part of one large family, preserving its memory and its traditions.

The third explanation is optimism: hope, and the ability to look ahead. Various studies point to an epidemic of gloom among young Americans, who have lost their sense of national pride and purpose. Israelis, by contrast, still feel they are moving forward together. Sharansky and Troy point to the “Shoreshim” [Roots] initiative, where thousands come to comfort bereaved families they have never even met, and to the choice so many families make to commemorate their loved ones through acts that benefit society. Even the stickers bearing short, powerful quotations from those who fell, covering the country, are part of that spirit.

Sharansky recognizes here the same spirit he felt in Siberia, in prison, under communism. There too, he says, it was the prisoners who held on to identity, meaning, and history who stood the strongest against their captors. They were the ones who survived.

His message to the West is clear: strengthen community, patriotism, and tradition. Learn from the small Jewish state.

Jewish Victory

During this period of the Counting of the Omer, we do not hold weddings. But the accompanying photo, taken before Pesach, shows nonagenarian Dov Landau dancing at the wedding of his eighth great-grandson.

Born in Poland, Dov survived Auschwitz and five other camps, as well as two death marches. He was eventually liberated from Buchenwald. At seventeen, he came to Israel alone, the sole survivor of his family after the Holocaust. On the day the State of Israel was established, during the battles of Gush Etzion, he was taken captive by the Jordanians while fighting with the Haganah. Here was another former captive. (In our times, that phrase sounds painfully current. And like many of those who returned from Gaza, he was filled with faith.)

Dov went on to build a family, and for years he accompanied trips to Poland. He ends his lectures with the last words his father said to him before they were separated: “Remain a Jew.” But in truth, he does not end with words. He ends with song. The audience rises, then sings, and often dances with him.

At family weddings, Dov blesses the young couple under the chuppah and then dances with them. As is his custom, he rolls up his sleeve, revealing the number tattooed on his arm in the camps. At this wedding too, Dov danced with joy, lifting his arm for all to see and showing that his father’s final wish had indeed been fulfilled.

From the outside, it looked like Shmuel had everything a child could possibly want.

It wasn’t just that his family was well-off; it was that his life seemed to unfold on a different level entirely. The newest gadgets and toys appeared in his home almost as soon as they were released. While others were still talking about them, Shmuel was already using them, already moving on to the next thing.

His family didn’t “go on vacation.” They traveled. Constantly. One break it was Orlando, the next it was Cancun. Each trip seemed more elaborate than the last, each experience more elaborate than the one before. His world stretched far beyond the classroom walls, into places most of his classmates had never even imagined. He was well-liked, and no one treated him unkindly.

From the outside, it seemed that Shmuel’s life was full in every possible way.

In that same class sat Reuven.

Reuven’s world was much simpler. But it was full in its own way. There were no grand vacations to describe, no steady stream of new devices to show off. His family lived with the basics, and that was enough. There was nothing particularly impressive about his life, at least, not on the surface.

And yet, there was something about Reuven.

During recess, there was always a circle around him. At lunch, someone was always saving him a seat. In class, boys leaned over to talk to him, to joke with him, to share a moment.

Reuven was never alone.

Shmuel, on the other hand, often sat just beyond that circle.

No one disliked him. No one pushed him away. But no one thought to draw him in either. It simply never occurred to them. After all, Shmuel had everything. What could he possibly be missing?

Until one afternoon.

The classroom had settled into a quiet hum. Most of the boys were occupied with their own work. Almost unnoticed, Shmuel stood up and slowly made his way over to Reuven’s desk.

He paused there for a moment, as if unsure how to begin. This was unfamiliar territory.

Reuven looked up, surprised.

For a few seconds, Shmuel said nothing. Then, in a voice far softer than anyone would have expected, he spoke.

“Everyone thinks I have everything,” he said.

He hesitated, searching for the words.

“But I don’t have anyone.”

The words hung in the air.

Shmuel wasn’t asking for anything material. He wasn’t speaking about the things that filled his home or the places he had seen.

He was speaking about something far more essential.

“I feel very alone,” he added quietly. “Could I sit with you?”

And in that moment, everything shifted.

Because having everything does not always mean having what matters most.

Of course, this is only a mashal, many people blessed with wealth live rich, meaningful lives. But in this case, that is how things appeared.

The Mishnah in Pirkei Avos (1:5) teaches: “Let the poor be members of your household.”

We tend to think of the poor in simple terms, those who lack money, those who need financial help. But poverty wears many forms. There are people who lack not possessions, but connection. Not resources, but relationships. There are moments in life when no amount of wealth can fill what is missing inside.

In those moments, even someone who appears to have everything can feel deeply lacking.

The Mishnah is not only teaching us how to give.

It is teaching us how to see.

Sometimes we tell ourselves, “If I had more money, I could really help people.” Hashem gives each person their own set of resources and abilities, one may have wealth, another may have warmth, patience, or the ability to notice someone who feels invisible. True chessed is not limited to what’s in a person’s wallet; it comes from what’s in a person’s heart. A smile, an invitation, a few sincere words, these are things anyone can give, yet they can mean more than anything money could buy.

There is a Shmuel in every class. In every shul. In every circle.

There is always someone who has the power to change that.

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 20, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to  Yanky Morgenstern and Esther Shapiro on their engagement.

Mazel Tov Mr. & Mrs. Moshe Morgenstern and Rabbi Yehoshua Shapiro  

יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!

Jerusalem, Israel - Apr. 20, 2026 - On Monday afternoon, April 20, President Isaac Herzog presented the “Presidential Medal of Honor” to the President of the Argentine Republic, Dr. Javier Milei, in recognition of his contributions to the State of Israel. 

The ceremony took place at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, Israel, with a red-carpet welcome and the IDF band playing national anthems. 

The medal was awarded in recognition of President Milei’s consistent and outspoken commitment to the State of Israel, his unwavering support for Israel on the international stage, his solidarity with the families of the hostages, and his deep personal connection to the Jewish people and its heritage.

Also in attendance at the ceremony were the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, Gideon Sa’ar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of the Argentine Republic, Pablo Quirno, and the Minister of Justice of the Argentine Republic, Juan Bautista Mahiques.

Upon presenting the “Presidential Medal of Honor” to President Milei, President Isaac Herzog said:

“Javier, my friend, it is a true honor and pleasure for Michal and me to welcome you here at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem. We gather at a sacred time and a sacred city. The city is our eternal capital. The time is the eve of Israel’s Memorial Day, in which Israel comes to a standstill in solidarity and mourning of those who gave their lives for our homeland.

“Tomorrow evening, Israelis will dry their tears and raise their Israeli flag to celebrate the independence of the State of Israel. As we approach this moment, I feel privileged to present a great friend of Israel and a great friend of mine, Dr. Javier Milei, with the highest civilian award an Israeli President can bestow: The Israeli Presidential Medal of Honor.

The ceremony took place a few hours before Yom HaZikaron, Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers. Photos, stories, and yahrzeit candles were set for the fallen connected to Beit Hanasi.

Milei's first stop arriving in Israel was the Kotel. At his meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, trade agreements were signed. The President of Argentina was also honored to light a torch at the Israel Independence Day ceremony, marking the first time a foreign leader was honored.













Marylanders urged to check exposure times, monitor for symptoms, and ensure MMR vaccination status is up to date
 
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 19, 2026 - The Maryland Department of Health today announced one case of measles in a Baltimore metro area resident who recently traveled internationally. Health officials are working to identify people who may have come into contact with the individual.  

Measles is a highly contagious disease that is spread easily through the air when an infectious person breaths, coughs, or sneezes. The virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after the infected person leaves the area. The disease is also spread by direct contact and after touching infected surfaces.

Anyone who visited the following locations during any of the listed dates and hours may have been exposed: 

• Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport’s Customs federal inspection station in the international terminal arrivals area, and lower level international bag claim area, on April 12, 2026 from 7:50 - 10:30 p.m.
• FastMed Urgent Care (2827 Smith Ave. Baltimore, MD), on April 14, 2026 from 5 - 8 p.m., and on April 17, 2026 from 12 - 3:30 p.m.
• Sinai Hospital’s emergency department main waiting area and pediatric emergency department, on April 17, 2026 from 3:30 - 7:10 p.m.​

What to Do If You Think You May Have Been Exposed 

• Find out if you have been vaccinated for measles or have had measles previously. If you have received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, or were born before 1957, you are generally considered protected. To check your immunization status, call your healthcare provider or request records securely online via My Immunization Record (MyIR).
• People, especially those not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles, who were at any of these locations during the possible exposure times should monitor themselves for any early symptoms of measles for 21 days after the potential exposure.
• Exposed individuals who develop a fever or other symptoms of measles should not go to child care, school, work, or out in public, and should contact their healthcare provider. They should call their health care provider before going to a waiting room or emergency department so that the facility can take measures to prevent measles from spreading to others.
• If you are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles (i.e., you already had measles) and you might have been exposed, call your healthcare provider or your local health department to discuss the best next steps for you. If your exposure occurred on or after April 14, 2026, you may qualify for post-exposure treatments.

Early symptoms of measles are a fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit; runny nose; cough; and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after the early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Symptoms typically develop 10 to 14 days after exposure but can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure. A person with measles is contagious, beginning four days before the rash appears until four days after the rash begins.

“Vaccination remains essential to protecting ourselves, our families, and our communities against measles and other infectious diseases,” said Maryland Department of Health Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services Dr. Meg Sullivan. “Talk with your healthcare provider to ensure you and your family are up to date with all recommended vaccines, including the MMR vaccine.” 

The Maryland Department of Health recommends all eligible people get fully vaccinated against measles. The measles vaccine is routinely recommended at 12–15 months of age for the first dose and the second dose at 4–6 years old. Sometimes a dose is given as early as six to 12 months if there is travel planned to an area that has ongoing measles transmission. 

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is covered for those with health insurance and through the Vaccines for Children Program. Adults who are uninsured or underinsured can check with their local health department about the availability of a free MMR vaccine as part of the Maryland Vaccine Program.

Measles cases occur sporadically in Maryland, with three cases of measles identified in Maryland in 2025, one in 2024, one in 2023, and no cases from 2020-2022. This is the first case in 2026.

To protect the patient’s privacy, the Maryland Department of Health will not provide any additional information about the patient.

Jerusalem, Israel - Ap. 19, 2026 -  Yom HaZikaron, Remembrance Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror, begins on Monday night, April 20, ד' אייר.

Ahead of Yom HaZikaron, at Beit HaNasi, in Yerushalayim, on Wednesday, April 15, President Isaac Herzog and his wife**, Michal Herzog**, hosted bereaved families of IDF soldiers and members of the security forces in a deeply emotional meeting.

Representatives from Yad LaBanim and the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization joined parents, widows, siblings, and children.

Among those remembered were Staff Sgt. Omri Perez, Staff Sgt. Niv Radia, Sgt. Shani Shay Germay, Maj. Daniel Gomez, Maj. Mordechay “Moti” Shamir, CSM Yigal Nissim Iluz, MSgt. Salim Barkat, and Sgt. Uriel Avraham.

The families representing loss, came from the north and south, across generations, from the early 2000s through the current war.

According to David Metzler of the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization, more than 350 new widows and over 900 new orphans have been added to Israel’s bereaved community. More in the past two years than in the previous years.

Revital Shamir brought her three young children, including Ori, who was born after her father was killed on October 7, fighting Hamas.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met on Sunday, April 19, with a different group of widows and orphans from the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization. He told them, "How does one live with the grief? It is very difficult, and I can tell you that we all feel it. I lost my eldest brother, and it was as if someone took an axe and cut off my arm and my leg. Then someone came to me during the Shiva and told me that he also lost a brother – he was a bereaved brother. He said to me, "I know you won't believe me, but the torment you are going through will not always have this intensity or such agony as you feel now; there is life after this.

"There are also new chapters, and you will have new lives and new joys. Joys will come. I know it's hard to believe right now, but they will.

"But the greatest thing I can tell you: it is not in vain. It is not in vain, because without them, we have no existence. We are here thanks to the heroes, our chain of heroes. Therefore, your parents are heroes; and you, with the pain, the memory, and the void, have one thing that you know: your fathers are the ones who ensure the eternity of Israel."

“In every such meeting, the heart fills, and the soul is shaken anew,” President Herzog told the families after they shared their stories with him. “Each of the fallen is an entire world, values-driven people who acted with a deep mission, saving the lives of people they did not know.

“I cannot change the difficult fate,” Herzog added, “but I have the privilege of saying thank you, for who they were and what they represent. They fell for the most exalted purpose. I wish you moments of comfort alongside moments of joy, and for all of us, better days of quiet and security.”

Yom HaZikaron begins at night with a variety of community commemorations throughout Israel. Some large outdoor events were recorded this year because of the security situation. During the day, there is a morning memorial siren and visits to military cemeteries. 

The day of mourning turns to celebration with Yom Haatzmaut, Israel Independence Day, as the sunsets. Israel at 78.  A day to return to barbecues and celebrations, assuming the ceasefire continues to hold.











Baltimore, MD  - Apr. 19, 2026 - Safe Green Transit (SGT), a local nonprofit organization focused on reducing traffic congestion and increasing roadway safety through practical transportation initiatives, announced today that it is seeking additional community support as operations continue to grow.

One of SGT’s primary initiatives is the expansion of reliable yellow school bus transportation designed to reduce the number of individual vehicles traveling to and from schools, improve traffic flow, and enhance overall roadway safety.

SGT currently operates nine daily routes, with two additional routes already confirmed for next year and another four routes presently in the planning stages.

SGT would like to thank Senators Dalya Attar and Shelly Hettleman for once again securing $250,000 in this year’s budget to help subsidize, in part or in full, transportation costs for participating families.

SGT also extends its appreciation to  TeachMD, The Associated, and The Agudah for their advocacy and assistance in helping ensure these funds are distributed appropriately.

This support has helped expand access to transportation for many families and has played an important role in the continued growth of the program.

SGT is currently recruiting volunteers to assist with administrative work, planning, and field coordination, along with volunteer and paid drivers to support existing routes and anticipated future expansion.

“Transportation challenges affect families, traffic patterns, and community safety,” said a representative of Safe Green Transit. “Our yellow bus initiative is intended to provide practical solutions while making daily travel safer and more efficient for everyone. It also reduces the stress of arranging carpools for many community families.”

Training and licensing assistance for volunteers will be provided where needed.

Safe Green Transit also acknowledged concerns from some individuals who currently supplement their income by providing private van transportation to and from school and may be concerned about the impact of expanded bus service.

SGT stated that it recognizes those concerns and welcomes outreach from individuals in that position, particularly those who currently operate larger vans for student transportation, to explore possible ways to collaborate moving forward.

Individuals interested in volunteering, driving, or discussing potential opportunities are encouraged to contact Safe Green Transit directly at [email protected].

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 19, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Moishe Myers and Michali Mishory on their engagement.

Mazel Tov Mr. and Mrs. Paltiel Myers and Mr. and Mrs. Eli Mishory

Mazel Tov to the grandparents, Dr. and Mrs. Gedalya Price

יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!

Prime Minister Netanyahu's Remarks at the event with President of Argentina Milei**

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu**:

"This is the third visit of my friend, my chaver, Javier, in Jerusalem. But he's not merely a personal friend and someone who I deeply admire as a great leader, a great economic leader and a great world leader. It's also something of special significance, because this is the first time in Israel's history, in 78 years, that we award a foreign leader with the honor of lighting a torch on our Independence Day. It's never happened before, and it's right and just that it happens now with Javier Milei. Congratulations!

Under your leadership, Argentina has spoken with moral clarity. This is the foundation of leadership. Politics always involves compromises, but if you only compromise, or if you mostly compromise and you don't stand up for the things you believe are right, the conviction of what is right and what is wrong, what is just and what is unjust, what will move us forward and what will move us backward, if you don't stand up for the things you believe – why be in politics? It's boring and it's not very pleasant. It requires moral fiber and Javier Milei has enormous strength and enormous clarity, moral clarity. And I would say moral clarity is worthless without another human quality, which is courage. And President Milei has both in abundance and he has shown that by standing up with Israel, standing up with the Jewish people, standing up against antisemitic vilifications, standing up in our hour of need, standing up when we fight the battle of civilization against barbarism. He has been so clear, so forceful, so direct, so unflinching. I salute you, my friend. I think the free world should salute you. Freedom should salute you, free peoples everywhere.

We are at a time of great challenge and great consequence. We have been engaged with the United States in a battle against the great tyranny of Iran which terrorizes the world, which seeks our destruction and seeks to bring down the United States, seeks to bring down Western civilization as we know it. We have achieved enormous things. It's not over yet and any moment could bring us new developments. Javier Milei has that quality, every time he visits Israel. it's right before something very big happens. I don't know…No, I didn't tell him last time. I did not tell him last time, I give you my word. And I don't know what I can tell him now, because who knows what tomorrow or the day after tomorrow will bring? But I'm confident that with our moral clarity and our partnership, our great partnership with the United States, we shall achieve our objectives and bring more light and more hope for the free peoples of the world.

I have to say that we are also doing something else: we are opening direct flights. Now this, you know, you have brought our people closer, now we're bringing them even closer. We're not shortening the distance between Buenos Aires and Jerusalem but we're shortening the time of travel. So, we're shortening the time of travel but making our people a lot stronger. And I think that we just don't have better partners in the world than the United States of America and the great democracy of Argentina, and you have made it greater. You are taking it out of decades, decades of stagnation and you are lifting it up and the entire world speaks about what you have done in Argentina. I wish you the best. I know that our alliance is standing now before the best.

So, thank you, Javier, for everything that you have done. Know that you are now, since you are a Lubavitcher, you are now part of the mishpachah, part of our family, in the deepest sense of the word.

Thank you, my friend. Welcome to Jerusalem, you and your ministers."

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 19, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Aryeh Weinberg (Monsey) and Meira Sperling (Baltimore) on their engagement

Mazel Tov to  Shaya & Aliza Weinberg and Sam & Hadassah Sperling

יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 19, 2026 - Baltimore’s first effort to curb an overgrown deer population hit its targets in two of three major parks, city officials said, marking what they called a strong start despite falling short in one location.

Sharpshooting biologists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture carried out the culling in three closed parks from late March through April 9, targeting herds that exceed sustainable levels by as much as six times, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

The results were mixed.

The operation met its goals at Druid Hill Park, where 132 deer were killed, and Herring Run Park, where 36 were removed. At Gwynns Falls-Leakin Park, biologists culled 59 deer, down 44 from their goal of 103, according to Shane Boehne, a wildlife conservation analyst for the city’s Recreation and Parks Department in charge of the deer management program.

74% of young Jews feel they can positively influence the future, and 56% consider it important to be connected to the Jewish community around them, according to the “One People Report.”

Jerusalem, April 19, 2026 — Nearly three-quarters (74%) of Jewish young adults worldwide and two-thirds (67%) of young adults in Israel believe they can positively influence the future of their community, reveals The Jewish Agency for Israel’s newly published “One People Report,” providing a sense of hope at a time when global Jewry urgently needs it.

Presented to President of Israel Isaac Herzog last week, the report—featuring a comprehensive and wide-ranging survey on the state of the Jewish people worldwide after the attacks of October 7, 2023—identifies striking optimism in the younger generation. Jews ages 18-28 express twice as much optimism about their community than those ages 60 and above. Sixty-four percent of young Jews worldwide are optimistic about the future of the Jewish community in their country.

The new report is based on a global survey conducted by the Ipsos research institute, among a representative sample of 1,428 Jewish respondents in Israel and 18 countries across North America, Europe, Australia, and South America. Respondents were surveyed between September 25, 2025, and October 10, 2025, with questions examining the key trends that shape Jews around the world as one people.

Jewish communities in Israel and globally are confronting a new baseline reality shaped by rising antisemitism, growing discomfort in public spaces, declining personal security, and growing concerns surrounding how Israel is perceived in the world. Yet alongside these challenges, the Jewish people are demonstrating remarkable resilience rooted in community connection: Across generations, those who feel more connected to Jewish life also report greater strength and security, and the bond with Israel remains a central anchor. Further, young Jews are expressing a powerful sense of agency and optimism.

The survey’s findings underscore a shared understanding that the strength and continuity of the Jewish people depend on a sense of mutual responsibility between world Jewry and Israel. Fifty-six percent of Jews worldwide consider it important to be connected to the Jewish community around them; 55% feel that their community provides a strong and supportive environment; 88% see Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people; 85% agree that the existence of the State of Israel is essential for the flourishing of the Jewish people; and 84% of Jews in Israel and 75% of Jews worldwide agree that Israel has a responsibility toward global Jewish communities.

Simultaneously, respondents acknowledge the challenging reality facing world Jewry. Antisemitism has seeped into daily life and undermines Jews’ sense of security around the world. Sixty-nine percent of Jews worldwide and 79% of Jews in Israel define antisemitism as the central challenge facing Jewish communities today. Forty-three percent of European Jews experienced antisemitism personally or within their family in the past year. Only 22% of French Jews feel safe as Jews in their country.

“The report presented to me paints a troubling picture of rising antisemitism and a growing erosion of the sense of security among world Jewry,” said President of Israel Isaac Herzog. “Precisely at this time, we must strengthen mutual responsibility in Israel and across the Jewish world and stand together as one people. The bond between the State of Israel and world Jewry is a central pillar of our security and our shared future. We will continue to confront antisemitism with determination wherever it appears, and lead a broad international effort to ensure the safety and dignity of Jews around the world.”

At the same time, the issue of Israel’s image in the international arena has become an inseparable part of everyday challenges, with 46% of Jews worldwide identifying Israel’s image as the community’s greatest challenge. This includes 54% of respondents in Israel, 53% in Europe, 37% in North America, and 51% in Australia and South America.

Following the release of the “One People Report,” this moment calls for action—a rare convergence of concern, belonging, and willingness to effect change. Accordingly, The Jewish Agency is mobilizing the momentum demonstrated by the data to strengthen Israel and the global network of mutual responsibility through five core areas: encouraging Aliyah (immigration to Israel) and supporting successful absorption; rebuilding and supporting Israel’s North and South and communities affected by October 7; empowering young Israelis and deepening their connection to the Jewish people; strengthening Jewish identity and connection to Israel among young Jews worldwide; and ensuring the resilience and security of Jewish communities around the world.

The Jewish Agency’s plan of action is already being realized today in the mobilization of global Jewry in support of Israel amid the Iran war, as communities worldwide demonstrate mutual responsibility, solidarity, and collective strength at this critical moment.

“The One People Report reminds us of a profound reality: As tensions rise around us, the Jewish people draw strength from their ability to hold one another up,” said Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog, Chairman of the Executive of The Jewish Agency. “From this threat, we also see resilience, belonging, and hope emerge. These values call on us to stand as one people and to responsibly write the next chapter of our shared story; to choose community, mutual responsibility, and hope. This is the strength of the Jewish people.”

“This report underscores a powerful truth: Even in the face of unprecedented challenges, the Jewish people remain resilient, connected, and forward-looking,” said Mark Wilf, Chairman of The Jewish Agency’s Board of Governors. “The optimism and sense of responsibility expressed by younger generations are especially encouraging—they signal not only hope, but a readiness to lead. Our collective task now is to nurture that energy, strengthen the bonds between Israel and Jewish communities worldwide, and ensure that this moment of unity translates into lasting impact for the future of the Jewish people.”

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 18, 2026 –  BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of  AJ Weiss, z’l, father of Zev Weiss.

Shiva through Thursday morning will be observed at 4010 Fallstaff  Road, Baltimore, MD 21215.

Minyanim:

Shacharis: Sunday-8:00AM (Weekdays 6:45AM)

Mincha/Maariv: 7:30PM

Visitation times:

- Sunday, 8-10pm (No daytime hours)

- Monday-Wednesday, 12-2pm, 8-10pm

בלע המות לנצח

בלע המות לנצח

Jerusalem, Israel - Apr. 17, 2026 - Tens of thousands of participants ran in the 15th International Jerusalem “Winner” Marathon, held on Friday morning under the theme “Am Yisrael Runs.” 

The event proceeded without major incident but with a more subdued atmosphere than in previous years, less music and fewer celebrations.

Allame Haimro, 36, from Karnei Shomron, won the men’s half-marathon with a time of 1:07:31, while Bika Mintamer, 34, from Ramat Hasharon, took first place in the women’s race.

Runners from around the world—including the United States, China, Argentina, the Philippines, South Africa, and the Netherlands—joined Israelis at the starting line near the Knesset.

With 30 organizations hosting groups, the regulars, Shalva, ADI, Yachad, etc., were joined with more groups dedicated to fallen soldiers. 

The weather turned difficult fr being outside with sand and heat, but the races started early and finished early. 

There was no full marathon, but the other 5 shorter runs were held, and families came along with experienced runners.

The photo essay shares a bit of the successful event held under less-than-optimum conditions. 






















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Baltimore, MD - Apr. 18, 2026 -  Tax Day may be over, but a new report shows Marylanders are still paying a larger share of their income in taxes compared to most Americans.

A recent WalletHub study ranked all 50 states based on “tax burden,” which measures the share of personal income residents pay in state and local taxes, including income, property, and sales taxes.

According to the report, Maryland ranks as the seventh highest-taxed state in the country, with residents paying nearly 10% of their income toward those taxes.

Local economist Anirban Basu said the findings reflect what many Marylanders already experience.


Baltimore, MD - Apr. 17, 2026 - When Torah Institute-Yeshivas Kochav Yitzchak welcomed back their תלמידים and families after Pesach break, they couldn't help but notice that the long-anticipated construction of their new building had officially begun.

Visible across the campus are construction vehicles, heavy machinery, and newly installed fencing marking the active work zones. This progress represents a major milestone for Torah Institute and a significant investment in the future of their תלמידים and community.

To learn more about, and to support this project, feel free to click on the following link: investintorah.com


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Baltimore, MD – Apr. 17, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Yehoshua Binyomin Schreibman and Rivka Sarah Sall on their engagement.

יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 17, 2026 - The average price for regular unleaded fuel in Maryland is 10 cents cheaper compared to this time a week ago.

According to AAA, the average price for regular unleaded gas in Maryland on Thursday was $4.09 per gallon. This time last week, the price was $4.19.

Since the war in Iran began on Feb. 28, gas prices have spiked over $1 per gallon across the country. The average price of regular gas in Maryland was $2.92 on that day.

Maryland ranked 15th out of the 50 states and Washington D.C. for the most expensive regular fuel prices. California was the most expensive with its average being $5.86 per gallon.

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 16, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Zvi and Sori Spiegel on the birth of a son.

‎יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 17, 2026  (BJL) - The Baltimore City Department of Transportation would like to advise motorists of temporary lane and ramp closures in effect this weekend along the southbound Jones Falls Expressway.  

Starting today, two lanes of the southbound Jones Falls Expressway / I-83 are closed between the 29th Street access ramp and Guilford Avenue.  These lane closures will remain in effect until approximately 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, 2026, weather permitting.

In addition, the following ramps will be closed during this time with detours in effect:

• The North Avenue ramp to the southbound Jones Falls Expressway / I-83
• The Maryland Avenue exit ramp from the southbound Jones Falls Expressway / I-83

Motorists traveling southbound on the expressway this weekend should remain alert for shifting traffic patterns within the work zone. Because the lane closures may cause delays, drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes during this time.

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 17, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Eli Klein (Boca) and Leeba Knopf (Baltimore) on their engagement.

Mazel Tov to Bentzion & Rivky Klein and Dovid & Charna Knopf

Mazel Tov to Grandparents Cindy Knopf and Chaim & Esta Sitrin

יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!

A Jew is meant to wake up and begin his day like... 

PAUSE FOR A MOMENT.

How would you complete that first sentence? I think most people would naturally conclude that a Jew is meant to wake up and begin his day like a VALIENT SOLDIER. Or perhaps like a LOYAL SERVENT OF HASHEM. Or maybe like a RIGHTEOUS MAN. These would certainly be reasonable conclusions, wouldn't you say?

But shockingly, that's not how the Code of Jewish Law (Shulchan Aruch) begins. Instead of telling us to be human, we are taught to be like an animal: יתגבר כארי - be strong like a lion! 

What is going on here? Why are we told to be like an animal, instead of like a human? We know there are tiers of creation: domem (inanimate objects, such as rocks), tzomeach (vegetation, plants, etc.), chai (animals), and medebar (speakers/humans). Each tier is another level and dimension of existence. The level of Tzomeach is fundamentally different and superior to domem. The level of Chai is fundamentally different and superior to tzomeach. And the level of medaber (the human being) is fundamentally different and superior to chai. So again, why go down a level? Why are we meant to be "like a lion"? 

The truth of the matter is, this question extends far beyond the opening line of the Shulchan Aruch. "Be strong like a lion" is actually a term taken from a broader statement by Rabbi Yehuda ben Teima, where he teaches that in addition to being strong like a lion, a Jew is meant to be bold like a leopard (עז כנמר), light like an eagle (קל כנשר), and run like a deer (רץ כצבי).

Furthermore, Shlomo HaMelech in Mishlei (6:6) teaches that a Jew is meant to be like an ant (לך אל נמלה) in order to learn how to not be lazy.

There are numerous other examples of this, where we are specifically taught to mimic certain qualities of animals. And it begs the question: Why? If the human is fundamentally different and superior to the lower animal realm, why should we be encouraged to behave like them?

At the beginning of Parshas Tazria/Metzora, which primarily discusses the laws of Negaim (Tzaraas, which stems from speaking Lashon Hara, a disease that comes from abusing our role as medabar, speakers), the Torah speaks about childbirth and the laws of impurity that governs a woman upon the birth of a boy and a girl. The very first Rashi of the parsha quotes a teaching from the great Rav Simlai: "Just as the formation of man took place after that of every cattle, beast and fowl when the world was created, so, too, the law regarding him is set forth after the law regarding cattle, beast and fowl."

There is a great significance to the fact that man was created last. Our latter position in the creation process teaches us that everything that came before us (the sun, stars, moon, plants, animals, birds, fish, etc.) IS IN US. 
 
In the words of the Sefas Emes: כי האדם הוא צורה של כל העולם לזאת כלול מכולן - Man is the embodiment of the entire world; therefore, he is comprised of all of them (see שפת אמת תזריע תרל"ב).

In the words of the Nefes HaChaim: וזהו פשטות ענין הכתוב נעשה אדם לשון רבים, ר"ל שכולם יתנו כח וחלק בבנינו שיהא כולל ומשותף מכולם - This is the simple meaning of the verse "Let us make man" written in the plural: that all of them should contribute strength and a portion in his construction, so that man will be inclusive of all and a partner with all of them (see נפש החיים שער א' סוף פרק ו).

Every single thing that was created before man gave man some of its energy, as a result, man is comprised from every thing in creation.

Our connection with the world is so much bigger than perhaps we tend to think. The seforim refer to man as an עולם קטן, a miniature world, since we are a microcosm of all creation. 

As such, when we are told that we are likened to the "stars" of the heaven, it's a very real thing: we have some of the same energy as the stars. When we are told to learn from the ant, there's an actual part of us that has ant powers. The boldness of a leopard, swiftness of an eagle and speed of a deer are not merely traits we can mimic, but energies we can tap into...because they are in us.

The very beginning of the Code of Jewish Law highlights our connection to  animals: Be strong like a lion. Be powerful and fearless against your Yetzer Hara. Know that deep inside of you is the energy of a roaring lion.

This capacity to harness so many distinctive energies is what makes man so unique and special. A lion cannot channel the qualities of the ant, and the ant cannot channel the qualities of the eagle. And so on. 

But we can. We are humans, capable of quite a lot. We are the last in creation because the world is infused within us. We can connect to the entire world by simply connecting to our inner makeup, and if we channel these energies properly, there is no greater and holier task than this.

This is the journey of Sefiras HaOmer. We begin with barley and end with wheat; we go from animal food to human food. It's a journey of connecting our animal energies to our higher faculties. To unite the nefesh habihamus with the nefesh elokus, to link body and soul.
 
Rav Gedalia Schor zt"l (Ohr Gedaliahu, Tazria/Metzora) explains that on one hand, man was indeed created last. Our physical body was created last (on the sixth day), after everything else was already created and set in place. However, on the other hand, our soul was created first (on the first day). This is what it means in Tehillim: אחור וקדם צרתני - You have formed me last and first.

The job of a Jew is to connect the two. To live in this world of physicality and materialism, and channel all of the inner animal energies towards a higher purpose and calling.

Pause for a moment. Breathe. 

Hear the calling... and pick up! Because what's waiting on the other line is the most meaningful and incredible life possible.

Have a holy Shabbos! 
Ori Strum ([email protected])

President Trump and Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Friday announced that the Strait of Hormuz is now “completely open” for all ships, so long as the Israel-Lebanon cease-fire remains in place — with Trump quickly celebrating the resulting tumbling gas prices.

“In line with the ceasefire in Lebanon, the passage for all passage for all commercial vessels through Strait of Hormuz is declared completely open for the remaining period of ceasefire, on the coordinated route as already announced by Ports and Maritime Organisation of the Islamic Rep. of Iran,” he said in a post to X.

President Trump then quickly took to Truth Social to share the news himself.

“IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU!”

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 17, 2026 – 8:28AM (BJL) Police are blocking off Greenspring between Shellydale and Willow Glen which will affect anyone headed toward Mercaz Torah U’Tefila, Derech Chaim, Shomrei Emunah and Bais Yaakov.

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 16, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Meir Klein and Bracha Pleeter on their engagement.

Mazel Tov to Reuven & Leah Klein and Joel & Sharlene Pleeter

יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!

US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire would go into effect at midnight tonight in Lebanon. The ceasefire will last ten days.

In a post to Truth Social, Trump wrote: "I just had excellent conversations with the Highly Respected President Joseph Aoun, of Lebanon, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel. These two Leaders have agreed that in order to achieve PEACE between their Countries, they will formally begin a 10 Day CEASEFIRE at 5 P.M. EST."

He added: "On Tuesday, the two Countries met for the first time in 34 years here in Washington, D.C., with our Great Secretary of State, Marco Rubio. I have directed Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Rubio, together with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Dan Razin' Caine, to work with Israel and Lebanon to achieve a Lasting PEACE. It has been my Honor to solve 9 Wars across the World, and this will be my 10th, so let's GET IT DONE! President DONALD J. TRUMP"

In a later post, the President wrote that he will be inviting Netanyahu Aoun to the White House for what he called "the first meaningful talks between Israel and Lebanon since 1983, a very long time ago. Both sides want to see PEACE, and I believe that will happen, quickly!"

Honda is recalling a massive fleet of 440,830 Odyssey minivans over a potentially serious airbag malfunction, following reports of dozens of injuries, federal regulators announced.

In a notice dated April 9, the automaker warned that a software programming flaw could trigger the side airbags to deploy unexpectedly from relatively minor road impacts, including "driving over potholes, speed bumps, or road debris."

"Air bags that deploy unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said. 

Regulators said the affected vehicles include 2018–2022 models manufactured between Jan. 24, 2017, and June 3, 2022.

Nachum Segal welcomed Rabbi Dovid Heber back to JM in the AM for an entertaining and informative look at calendaric trivia in advance of Rosh Chodesh Iyar.

To listen, click on the graphic below:


Baltimore, MD – Apr. 16, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Hillel Lieberman and Rachel Hauer on their engagement.

Mazel Tov to Moshe & Shifi Lieberman and Mindi Hauer & Family

יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 16, 2026 -  Reisterstown Road just past Northern Parkway is Shut Down


US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth asserted that the US military is ready to restart combat against Iran if no ceasefire deal is reached, during a briefing regarding Iran on Thursday.

"While you are digging out bombed-out and devastated facilities, we are only getting stronger," Hegeth said.

Hegseth stated that he had a message for the Iranian leadership: "We are watching you. Your capabilities are not the same as ours. Remember, this is not a fair fight."

He added that, at the direction of US President Donald Trump, the US will never allow Iran to develop or acquire nuclear weapons.

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 16, 2026 - As summer approaches, Baltimore County police are investigating and trying to stop planned “link-ups,” also described as teen takeovers, at major shopping centers — incidents that law enforcement officials say can drive shoppers away and hurt the local economy.

Link ups have been reported at White Marsh Mall, Towson Town Center and other locations, with more planned in the next few weeks.

Lt. Douglas Jess, president of the Baltimore County police union, said social media has helped fuel the gatherings.

“Why it is such a thing obviously is the continued advancement of social media and the ability to communicate,” Jess said.

Baltimore, MD – Apr.16, 2026 – 4:00PM (BJL)  An accident after the light outside of Shomrei Emunah heading toward Pickwick has traffic blocked off by a fire truck and 2 police cars.

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Baltimore, MD - Apr. 16, 2026 - Explore the latest issue of Baltimore Jewish Home.
Click on the graphic below:


Baltimore, MD – Apr. 16, 2026 –  BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Jerry Sigal, z'l, brother of Kathy Pereles
The levaya will take place on Sunday, April 19, in Columbus, Ohio.

Kathy will be sitting shiva there through Wednesday.

Kathy will then return to Baltimore and continue sitting shiva from Wednesday evening at 7:30 PM through Friday afternoon at her home, 3031 Fallstaff Road, Apt. 307C (The Towers).

Visiting hours:
Wednesday: 7:30pm-9:00pm
Thursday: 9:00am-9:00pm
Friday: 9:00am-5:00pm

Kathy can be reached at 845-548-2114.

בלע המות לנצח


Baltimore County, MD - Apr. 15, 2026 - A growing staffing shortage in the Baltimore County Police Department is fueling a dispute over how many officers the agency is actually down — and raising concerns about response times and officer burnout.

FOP President Douglass Jess said the department is facing far more vacancies than the number it publicly reports. “The 10th, the vacancy of report was 162 sworn vacancies,” Jess said. But, he added, “The forward-facing report is half of the actual number.”

Jess said the department’s counting method includes recruits who are currently in the police academy, even though, he argues, they are not sworn officers and cannot fill the roles needed on the street. He said those recruits are “incapable of getting a guy a day off, contributing to someone being able to take a vacation, working a post car next to someone, making an arrest, making an arrest.”

“Currently we have 179, as of this morning, academy class members, which means our true total of sworn vacancies is 341,” Jess said.

The US Senate has voted down a pair of resolutions to prevent weapons sales to Israel, but the vast majority of Democrats joined the minority, demonstrating a major shift in the party’s approach toward Israel.

Forty out of 47 Senate Democrats voted in favor of one of the resolutions to block a $295 million sale of bulldozers, which the initiative’s author Sen. Bernie Sanders said would be used to demolish homes in the West Bank, Gaza and Lebanon. Fifty-nine senators — mostly Republicans — voted against blocking the sale.

Thirty-six Democrats backed another resolution aimed at blocking a $152 million sale of 1,000-pound bombs to the IDF, which Sanders said would be used in Gaza and Lebanon. Sixty-three senators voted against blocking the sale.Similar resolutions forced by Sanders in 2024 and 2025 were also rejected, but the number of Democrats voting with the Vermont Independent has more than doubled in less than two years amid Israeli military operations in Gaza, Iran and Lebanon as well as a stepped-up campaign by party activists who have increasingly viewed criticism of Israel as a litmus test for earning their support.

The dollar fell below NIS 3 for the first time in over 30 years on Wednesday, continuing to falter on optimism around a ceasefire and a possible resolution of the Iran crisis, prompting concern from Israeli exporters.

The dollar-shekel exchange fell to 2.993, the US currency’s lowest level since October 1995. The dollar has depreciated some five percent against the shekel so far in 2026 and 25% since April 2025.

Avraham Novogrocki, president of Israel’s Manufacturers’ Association, which represents some 1,500 firms and 400,000 workers, said the strong shekel posed a risk to the economy.

“A dollar below NIS 3 is a death blow to export profitability,” he said. “A cumulative drop of about 20% in the exchange rate completely erases profit margins and pushes factories to the brink of closure.”

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 15, 2026 –  BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Hinda Bracha Muller, a’h, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Shloimy Muller, and granddaughter of Mr. and Mrs. Yosef Muller. 

Shiva will be in Eretz Yisroel, Mavo Timna 4, Kenisa 2, Apartment 16 until Friday morning.

Nichum Avelim until 10:30pm, Eretz Yisroel time.
Shloimy can be reached at 718-554-5318 
בלע המות לנצח

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 15, 2026 - OCA is proud to announce that three students from our Chidon HaTanach club qualified for national finals of the Chidon HaTanach competition. Mazel Tov to Gavi Erez (‘27), Anna Devorah Meles (‘28) and Ami Safren (‘27) from the Middle School National Division. The Chidon HaTanach is sponsored by the Jewish Agency and is open to students in grades 6-12. OCA is registered in the highly competitive Hebrew Middle School division of the Chidon HaTanach for schools that learn and master the text in Lashon HaKodesh. Over 600 students from across the United States participated in the first round of tests.
Under the guidance of Rabbi Mordechai Abrahams, dedicated OCA students worked hard to learn all of Sefer Bereishit, all of Shmuel Bet, and select perakim from Tehillim. At the national finals, students will take further tests, and the top four students in the nation will represent the USA in the International Chidon HaTanach competition next summer, in Israel.


Baltimore, MD – Apr. 15, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Noach Benz (Baltimore) and Chanie Brown (Hillside, NJ)  on their engagement.

יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!

Leah Rieder, of blessed memory, was laid to rest on Monday morning in Yerushalayim. A few words of farewell.
The first meeting
“My name is Leah Rieder,” a gracious woman introduced herself at an event in New York. “Tomorrow my mother, a 96-year-old Holocaust survivor, is coming to the historic Siyum HaShas. Come.”
So I came.
I arrived the following day with a camera crew. One hundred thousand Jews had gathered at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey for the celebration. Anyone who studies one page of Gemara a day eventually completes the entire Shas. And Torah learning with such dedication, especially in the United States, is something to celebrate and honor.
Leah introduced me to her mother, who became the focus of the report I later aired. Marlit Wandel had survived nine concentration camps. I stood beside her and her descendants as she stretched out her hand and pointed to the crowd of one hundred thousand Torah-loving Jews: “Hitler wanted to destroy all of us, and now look around you. Look! They wanted to destroy us, and we are dancing a dance of Torah. If someone had told me this back then, in Auschwitz...”
I thanked Leah for the story, but it was much more than a news item. It was an encounter with eternity.
The last meeting
After the terrible tragedy of October 7, I was invited to accompany a group of Nova survivors who had come to spend Shabbat together in Yerushalayim. About 400 young people gathered at a hotel, and among them were Ralph and Leah Rieder. That was when I discovered that they were the donors behind this remarkable initiative, launched by Tzili Schneider of Kesher Yehudi. Since then, we have shared countless Shabbatot and chagim in this extraordinary community.
This past Simchat Torah, Nova survivors who have been growing stronger in their Judaism asked for a Sefer Torah of their own, in memory of the friends who were murdered, Hy”d. Ralph and Leah agreed to donate it. Imagine Nova survivors on Simchat Torah, dancing with a Sefer Torah, feeling the souls of their friends dancing with them above. As Marlit said: they wanted to destroy us, and we are dancing a dance of Torah.
I was there to cover that event as well, and once again I thanked Leah for the story. But it was far more than a news item. It was an encounter with eternity.
Farewell
Not many people knew that Leah was facing a serious illness with quiet grace. On Sunday, she passed away at her home in New York at the age of 68.
Condolences to Ralph, to the entire family and to the many friends she leaves behind. Chassidic and Litvish women from Monsey, alongside young Israeli women with piercings and tattoos, are now shedding tears for their dear friend. Leah left all of us with a clear and enduring legacy.
The funeral procession departed from New York, and on Monday morning, on the eve of Yom HaShoah, Leah will be laid to rest on Har Hamenuchos. Because all roads, from Auschwitz, from New York, from Nova, lead to Yerushalayim.


A photo collage showing part of the group with Ralph and Leah Rieder in the center. The bottom shows dancing with the sefer Torah donated by the Rieders.

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 14, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Benzy and Sorah Palanker on the birth of a son.

‎יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!

On the eve of the official Holocaust Remembrance Day, I received a photo of Holocaust survivor Dov Landau, age 97, dancing at his great-grandson’s wedding.

That alone conveys a powerful message, but Ora Angel, the bride’s sister, sent me a few more astonishing details:

This is the eighth great-grandchild (!) at whose wedding Grandpa Dov Has merited to dance. He is fully healthy, and active, and under the chuppah he also blessed the couple.

During the dancing, as is his custom, he uncovered his arm, on which a number from the camps is tattooed. Dov was born in Poland, survived Auschwitz and five additional camps, and endured two death marches. He was ultimately liberated from Buchenwald.

At age 17, he immigrated to Israel by himself. He is the sole survivor of his family.  During the Holocaust, he lost his parents, grandparents, and more than 50 members of his extended family. He did not despair. On the day the State of Israel was established, during the battles in Gush Etzion, he was taken captive by the Jordanian army as a fighter in the Haganah.

He was released, built a family, and for years accompanied trips of visitors to Auschwitz and delivered hundreds of lectures about his story. “I have no idea where I get my strength,” he would say. “It’s not natural strength — it’s an inner strength that pushes me to tell the world what the Germans did to us.”

His lectures end with his father’s last will, just before they parted. His father blessed him with Birkat kohanim (the Priestly Blessing), word for word:

“May the Lord bless you and guard you;
May the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
May the Lord lift up His face to you and grant you peace.”

And then he added: “I have only one more request, my son — that you remain a Jew.”

“Remain Jews,” he says at the end of his lectures — but often he ends with songs, rather than words. The audience rises, then sings and even dances with him.

It is no surprise that at the wedding, Dov insisted on dancing with all the young people, showing his great-grandson, the groom, his number from Auschwitz — demonstrating that his father’s final request was fulfilled.

May we merit to learn from the survivors about hope, revival, and redemption.

SpringFest Celebration for Community to take place April 19

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 14, 2026 - To celebrate the completion of The Associated’s Goldsmith Campus, the community is invited to SpringFest on April 19, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Bring your family for a fun-filled afternoon featuring fee activities, giveaways and programs at the new Associated headquarters, 5700 Park Heights Avenue.

Enjoy free fitness classes led by the JCC, arts and wellness programs, kid’s activities, storytimes in the Jewish Library of Baltimore and Kosher food. Participate in a special Partners Baltimore session, where adults can enjoy one-on-one conversations, based on the teachings of Lord Jonathan Sachs, of blessed memory.

The Goldsmith Campus brings The Associated network of agencies together in a single, accessible hub, anchored by the new Associated headquarters. This new hub will serve as a welcoming place for the Jewish community to gather for simchas, Jewish learning and fun-filled activities.

With the majority of Associated network agencies at the Goldsmith Campus, it will also allow The Associated to more effectively and collaboratively provide services for Jewish Baltimore, including support of older adults, mental health, financial assistance and Jewish education.

To learn more and register for the event, click here or on the graphic below.


Baltimore, MD – Apr. 14, 2026  –  BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Mr. Lewis Kest, z’l, father of Mrs. Pepi (Jeff) Cohen.

Levaya and shiva details to follow

Details to follow

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 14, 2026 – BJL deeply regrets to inform the community of the petira of Yosef (Yossi) Davids, z’l**,** son of Mrs. Shula (Rabbi Moshe Davids, z’l), father of Aliza (Mendel) Carroll and Noam Davids and brother of Chanie (Efraim) Silberberg, Yaakov Davids, Leib (Fran) Davids, Itta Weinfeld, and Chaim (Batya) Davids 

Details to follow

בלע המות לנצח

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 14, 2026 – 8:07AM (BJL) – An accident involving a Police car and a van at the intersection of Slade/Milford & Reisterstown Road near the old Dougie’s has the area totally blocked off.

Avoid the area.  


Baltimore, MD - Apr. 14, 2026 - Bikur Cholim of Baltimore is excited to announce - thanks to State Senator Dalya Attar and Delegates Sean Stinnett and Sandy Rosenberg - $125,000.00 of state funds have been allocated for the renovations of the new Bikur Cholim Khoshkheraman Recovery and Wellness House, located at the corner of Park Heights and Falstaff. These funds will help BC renovate the center into four beautiful accessible suites. This will enable us to forgo our leases on apartments, saving us tens of thousands of dollars annually. The basement will be used for storage of our medical equipment Gemach. On behalf of the Board of Directors, we would like to thank the Senator, the delegates, the Khoshkheraman family, board member Dr. Ellie Miller, and Mr. Yehuda Neuberger for making this all happen.


Baltimore, MD  - Apr. 14, 2026 - This is another notice of a different person that should not be in the shul.  The person pictured below is Arthur Granman.  He has a long history of disruptive outbursts, threatening behavior, and unauthorized access to other local shuls as well. His behavior is said to be unpredictable, is easily agitated, screams and curses. There has been at least one reported physical altercation at a different location.   If you see him in shul, the police should be contacted immediately and report him trespassing.
 
Thank you!  


Baltimore, MD - Apr. 14, 2026 -  As this year’s legislative session comes to a close, a proposal that would have increased penalties for stealing firearms failed to advance in Maryland, while lawmakers approved a separate measure restricting the sale of certain guns.

HB 0863, known as the Gun Theft Felony Act of 2026, never made it to the second reading. The bill sought to make theft of a firearm a felony, with penalties of up to five years in prison. The bill was originally introduced last session, where it also failed to move to a second reading.

Lt. Douglas Jess, president of the Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 4, criticized the bill’s failure to gain traction. “The same legislature that is touting anti-gun violence, made sure that that bill did not pass,” Jess said.

Asked about how often he has encountered stolen guns, Jess said, “Dozens.” He said the measure could have made a difference when police encounter stolen firearms. “That would have had a real effect of when the police apprehend someone with a gun that has been reported stolen, no matter what they were doing with it,” he said. “That could have had very, very good effect on public safety.”

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 14, 2026 - In Eretz Yisroel, Yom HaShoa has been commemorated.  The siren has been sounded. People across the country have stopped whatever they were doing, whether it was driving, working, you name it, as they paused for our People, remembering the Six Million Kedoshim for a short and simultaneously very long one hundred twenty seconds.

I have never seen this in action; however, once upon a time when I was in seminary, I did hear the siren, and I am grateful to whoever warned me in advance as to what it was.  As an 18-year-old, without being able to comprehend the full impact of what the Holocaust was and its devastating impact, it didn’t really mean much to me at the time.  Now, I feel different.  Perhaps it is an age thing, as I have matured and come to understand what a Horror this was and how it still holds onto us, like gnarled fingers curled tightly around whatever is in its grasp. Even more compelling is my history and personal connection to the Holocaust. I am the proud first born American to Hungarian survivors. My mother was born in Budapest at the very end of the war.  My father, a”h, was taken to Auschwitz that same week. Both their stories are drenched with such obvious Hashgacha and incredible Nissim that it is impossible to deny the hand of G-d.  Perhaps one day I will write about it, but for now, I will pen these few thoughts. As I have written before, my maternal grandfather, HY”D, an aspiring physician, was taken to Munka Tabor, labor camp, while still a newlywed, leaving his pregnant wife (my grandmother) praying for his safety.  He was later killed on one of the transport marches the Nazis, Yemach Shemom, engaged in to move their prisoners from place to place when they were losing the war. My grandfather heard he had a child, but tragically he never met his daughter, my mother. 

My father was taken with his mother and sisters and nieces and nephews, HY”D, from the round up in the shul of his hometown in Derecske with the rest of the community.  First, they were herded to a ghetto.  Whoever survived that was loaded onto the infamous cattle car travelling for days before they reached the destination of what was known as Hell on earth, Auschwitz. The last words he heard from his holy mother, my namesake, were “never forget you are a Jew.” At Auschwitz, he saw his sister and her four young children sent to the left as he was pointed to the right.  “Our lives depended on the flickering move of the finger of the SS doctor (Mengele, Y”Sh.)  If his finger pointed to the right, it meant going into the camp.  Pointing to the left meant the crematorium,” as my father wrote in his personal memoir.

This is the history that I grew up with, no different than knowing the color of my eyes and hair.  It was a part of me that I never really paid much attention to as child and teen but as I get older it has affected my consciousness in a deep and profound way.  It is for this reason that the holocaust novels and memoirs I devoured as a teen, that I can no longer read, or at least tread very gently, because the pain is just too great.  At the same time, I feel a reawakening to perpetuate the memory of our precious lost neshamos and desperately cling to their names and whatever little information I know of my family. I have started and stopped and started again to make an album with the few blurry black and white family pictures trying to reconstruct some sort of connection to people I wish I knew and yet love so strongly in my heart.

I felt this even more so on Pesach while spending time with my visiting granddaughter.  As she sweetly remarked how much she liked our home and wanted to come back (yes, the nachas gauge went over the top), I had to quell back the tears that were pooling in my eyes.  I never had the typical grandparent relationship.  My mother’s mother, Nagymama, (Hungarian word for grandmother), a”h, lived across the ocean still in Budapest and her English was nil. We visited her every several years and she would do the same.  We were fond of each other and possessed the deep love that is the nature of grandparents and grandchildren. Culturally, it was very different and back then I did not know the term “intergenerational trauma” that was the atmosphere hovering on our visits. At the same time, my mind also took me to my father’s mother, Bobba Yides, who I never was able to meet. It was then, in those spare seconds at the end of this past Shabbos before my granddaughter went to bed who uttered the most beautiful statement to this Savti’s ears, that I mourned that relationship of what was ripped away from me so cruelly, and to millions of others. The loss is still reverberating 81 years later, echoes of the past that still do not quiet with the passing of time.

This year, I finally saw what occurs when the siren is sounded.  I was moved to tears watching the YouTube clip of cars driving along the highway and then coming to a stop.  Some people got out of their cars and stood there on the road.  To me, it felt like a Yizkor moment. That millions of people, who I don’t know, are honoring my Nagypapa (Hungarian for grandfather), Bobba Yides and Tanta Mariam with her children, my sweet cousins Yitzik Herschek, Mayer, Chayli, and Luzer, H” YD, along with their own precious lost, was so painful and yet so comforting. That the world may still endeavor to carry out what we just said on Pesach of B’chol Dor V’Dor Omdim Aleinu L’Chaloseinu, this tribute reminds us of our Survival and Strength. We may have suffered and lost so many, but we are here to stand up strong, proud. proclaiming the next part of that statement; V’Hakadosh Baruch Hu Matzileinu M’Yadam.  Hashem’s Havtacha of Am Yisroel Chai!

As my father begins in his book, “we have to remember this for all time and NEVER FORGET.  NEVER. EVER, EVER.”   Totty- I will never forget.

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 13, 2026 – (BJL) A male and female have been seen walking through neighborhoods in our community stealing packages from front porches. Video footage shows the pair taking a package from one home early this past Shabbos morning.
The suspects were last seen at approximately 6:15PM this evening heading toward Reisterstown Road via Clarks Lane. The female was wearing a red shirt, and the male was wearing a gray shirt. Both were wearing hats.
If you see them, please call 911 and Shomrim at 410-358-9999



Baltimore, MD – Apr. 13, 2026 – BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Rabbi Chanoch Aryeh Friedman, zt"l, father of Mrs. Goldy (Boruch) Atlas.

Shiva is being observed in רחוב האדמו"ר מרוזין 2 הר נוף ירושלים  

10 AM - 2 PM and 5 PM to 10 PM.

Mrs. Atlas will return to Baltimore before Shabbos and continue Shiva on Motzei Shabbos at 3608 Menlo Drive, Baltimre, MD 21215 through Sunday morning.

בלע המות לנצח

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 13, 206 – 3:08PM (BJL) – Be aware of a heavy police presence in the area of Sunfresh Market at the intersection of Reisterstown Road and Clarendon Ave., causing traffic delays.

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 13, 206 – 8:33AM (BJL) – An accident on Greenspring Ave between Shomrei Emunah and Willow Glen, is causing traffic delays in the area.


Baltimore, MD - Apr. 13, 2026 - Aish Kodesh (6207 Ivymount Road) will host a daily Plag Mincha/Maariv minyan Sunday through Thursday throughout the summer.

Mincha will begin 13 minutes before Plag HaMincha each day.

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 13, 2026 - Drivers in Baltimore are seeing another jump at the pump, with average gas prices rising 7 cents over the past week.

GasBuddy’s survey of 663 stations in Baltimore found the average price climbed to $4.10 a gallon as of April 13. That is 56.4 cents higher than a month ago and 92.9 cents higher than a year ago.

Prices varied widely across the city, with GasBuddy price reports showing the cheapest station in Baltimore at $3.85 a gallon Sunday and the most expensive at $4.99 a gallon, a difference of $1.14.

Across Maryland, the lowest price reported Sunday was $3.16 a gallon and the highest was $5.28 a gallon, a difference of $2.12.

Implications of a Matzah Shortage

Many in Israel encountered a matzah shortage on Pesach. “There’s no matzah in the supermarket.” “Does anyone have extra matzah?” “I checked every branch and couldn’t find any.” These messages and more spread through large numbers of WhatsApp groups. In some neighborhoods they even opened dedicated groups specifically for people giving away or looking for matzah. According to all the surveys, the people of Israel, especially the younger generation, are returning to their identity, and so it seems that this Pesach was observed more than ever.

Hearing about the matzah shortage, acclaimed Israeli writer Racheli Moskowitz wrote the following:

“I was happy to hear about all this searching for matzah. It shows that we are not giving up on tradition, and in so many homes people want to feel that connection. It made me think about the hostages who refused to eat chametz on Pesach while in captivity; about Agam Berger, who made it clear to the terrorists that she would not touch pita for an entire week, and how she and her friends recreated a Haggadah from memory. That spiritual heroism surely leaves a mark on the world and ripples outward.

“A year ago, we left an empty chair at the Seder table, waiting for the hostages. This was the first Seder after they emerged from darkness into light. Together with them, we have all received another layer in the story of our national freedom. Have we paused enough to give thanks, to reflect? We are in the midst of a deep national reckoning: Who are we? Why are we here, and where do we belong?

“So yes, there may be a shortage of matzah in the stores, but among us there is no shortage of identity or belonging, and that is the sweetest freedom of all.”

Happy Birthday, Bar

I saw what Racheli wrote come alive on Chol Hamo’ed Pesach. Like so many others, we went to the Old City. Since the Kotel was closed due to the security situation, we simply looked toward the empty Kotel plaza and prayed from a distance. On the way out, in the square at the center of the Jewish Quarter, I saw a birthday celebration, with people lifting someone onto their shoulders. It looked from afar like a noisy American bar mitzvah, and I tried to make my way around the circle of dancers. But then I recognized the birthday boy: released captive Bar Kuperstein.


Birthday celebration for released captive Bar Kuperstein

In that very square, Bar’s mother, Julie, had marked his twenty-second and twenty-third birthdays, with prayers, while he was deep inside a tunnel in Gaza. And now she was celebrating his twenty-fourth birthday there with him. Friends and family were there, and of course his father, Tal, who has become a symbol of perseverance and arrived in a specially adapted vehicle with his wheelchair.

The children of the Jewish Quarter brought out refreshments from their homes. Many passersby stopped to hug them, take pictures, offer blessings, and even join the group photo, as if they were family. And really, they were.

Julie summed it up: “It is unbelievable where Bar was on the previous Festival of Freedom, and how he is celebrating this one, which is also his Hebrew birthday. May we merit to see all our hopes fulfilled before our eyes like this.”

Typing Hope with His Nose

Chaim Elchanan Idan lives with cerebral palsy. He cannot walk, eat, or speak on his own. A few years ago, when he tried typing on a computer as usual, he felt once again that his fingers weren't responding quickly enough. His nose, on the other hand, tapped out letters in rapid succession.


Chaim Elchanan Idan

"Right now I'm typing to you with my nose," he wrote when I reached out to him on WhatsApp. Then he sent me his weekly newsletter on the Torah portion, called Ohr HaTorah ("The Light of the Torah"), which he began publishing back in seventh grade. He sends the texts and printing instructions to the print shop himself, and also distributes the newsletters through the streets of Jerusalem in his motorized wheelchair, dropping them off at shul. "I have to stay busy," he explained, "otherwise I get depressed.”

Throughout Pesach, the Kotel plaza was nearly empty because of the war; only 50 people were permitted to enter at one time, and Chaim was one of them. He wrote: "Thank you for the special privilege of being your messenger and praying here. My advice to everyone is to pray, to speak with Hashem always —not only from the siddur, not only in Hebrew, but even in your own words. I speak with Him a lot, and I highly recommend it. He is there, He is listening. And you don't need to type to Him with your nose…”

Bar Mizvah in Israel, No Matter What

Ahuva Schorr is a party planner living here in Israel. She wrote to me that all her events from March through June had been canceled, with the exception of one: the bar mitzvah of Yehudah Buxbein of New York, that took place on Chol Hamo’ed Pesach.


The Buksbein family

The parents, Ilana and Aryeh, came with the family to Israel in the middle of the war, determined to celebrate Yehuda’s bar mitzvah in Israel, no matter what.

“The family of five flew in from New York two weeks ago, at the height of the war, and celebrated Pesach here as well,” Ahuva related.

“I updated them before their arrival that their return flight home had been canceled, but despite everything, they chose to come on a one-way ticket. They didn’t know how or when they would get back. The main thing, for them, was to be in Israel. And the smiles never left their faces.

“So on Sunday night of Chol Hamo’ed, while everyone was talking about Trump’s ultimatum, I had the rare privilege of producing Yehuda’s bar mitzvah celebration in Gush Etzion, in full accordance with the Home Front guidelines. To me, this is a deeply inspiring story. Mazal tov, Yehuda. You have joined the Jewish people at a very special time.”

Baltimore, MD – Apr. 12, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Rivka and Ari White on the birth of Hadassah Leah.

Mazel tov to grandparents Stanton & Niomi Rosenberg and Rocky & Susan White.

יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בתם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן

Baltimore, MD - Apr. 11, 2026 - Rabbi Dovid Heber, shared the following הלכה during his הלכה שיעור this evening:

“The Mishnah Berurah writes that it is permissible to take a haircut or shave this Friday, in honor of Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh, even if one follows the minhag to refrain from grooming from Pesach until Lag Bo'omer. Although ordinarily one may not shave erev Shabbos or erev Rosh Chodesh during the Sefira, this Friday it is permissible because it is being done in honor of both Shabbos and Rosh Chodesh.”

(Actual wording adapted from: https://outorah.org/p/151167/)