Baltimore, MD – Apr. 10, 2026 – BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Howie Perles, z’l, brother of Stuey Perles.
The levaya will take place today, Friday, April 10, in New Jersey.
Stuey will return to Baltimore and continue sitting shiva at his home, 3031 Fallstaff Road, Apt. 307C (The Towers), beginning with Mincha/Maariv at 7:30 PM on Sunday evening through Shacharis on Thursday.
Davening Schedule:
Shacharis: 8:00 am.
Mincha/Maariv: 7:30 pm
בלע המות לנצח
Annapolis, MD - Apr. 10, 2026 - Maryland lawmakers reached an agreement on legislation that provides relief to consumers on their utility bills, according to those with direct knowledge of the agreement.
Maryland House and Senate negotiators reached the agreement on some differences between the chambers as part of the Utility RELIEF Act.
According to some State House presiding officers, the agreement delivers immediate relief and makes long-term investments in Maryland’s energy future.
“The Utility RELIEF Act… I know we’re going to pass it because we work really well together,” said House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk, D-District 21.
Baltimore, MD – Apr. 10, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Dovid and Meira Berendt on the birth of Aliza Rivka.
Mazel Tov to grandparents Yaakov & Kim Berendt, Lev Avraham & Rachel Rosenstock and Aharon and Rena Levi
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בתם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Towson, MD - Apr. 10, 2026 - Between spring-cleaning and warmer temperatures residents may be looking to sell or purchase items. The Baltimore County Police Department encourages residents to use one of its 10 precinct Transaction Safe Zones as a safe location to complete online marketplace exchanges.
The Transaction Safe Zone program provides a safe location that is:
Utilizing these secure zones aims to give buyers and sellers peace of mind while enhancing their safety. To find your local police precinct, go to the following links below:
Baltimore, MD – Apr. 10, 2026 – BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Earle Freedman, z’l, husband of Gertrude Freedman and father of Barbara (Craig) Newman.
The levaya will take place on Sunday, April 12, at Noon at Levinson's.
Details to follow
בלע המות לנצח
Jerusalem, Israel - Apr. 9, 2026 - In light of the newly established ceasefire, Ben Gurion Airport has resumed full operations and Israeli airspace has officially reopened.
Over the Pesach holiday, Chaim V’Chessed was contacted by numerous visitors who had come to Israel to spend Yom Tov, only to be notified that their outbound flights had been canceled amid the security situation. Many found themselves scrambling for alternatives due to these cancellations. It is now expected that, with the easing of restrictions, flights will gradually be reinstated in the coming days.
Attention is also turning to those seeking to return to Israel. In the days leading up to Pesach, many thousands of Israelis, foreign residents of Israel, and students traveled abroad for the holiday and are now hoping to make their way back. If the ceasefire holds, their return to Israel is expected to be considerably smoother than the tense and complicated departures that preceded the holiday.
El Al has announced plans to ramp up toward full operations, and additional flights to Israel are expected to become available. However, travelers should be aware that nearly all other foreign carriers have either suspended or significantly reduced service. As a result, seat availability remains limited and prices are expected to be high in the immediate term.
Travelers should consider using a competent travel agent, who can often obtain hard-to-get seats. Chaim V’Chessed cannot assist with travel arrangements.
It is also important to note that the ceasefire agreement was established for a 14-day period and remains fragile. The situation continues to evolve, and longer-term stability will determine how quickly normal travel patterns can resume.
Growing gap between Republican Party leadership, which supports the campaign against Iran, and a populist-isolationist camp in the US, which is spreading anti-war, anti-Israel, and antisemitic messages.
The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, today (Thursday, 9 April 2026), released a special report that examines American public sentiment regarding the war against Iran (https://www.gov.il/en/pages/epic-fury-us-public-sentiment-analysis-2026-03). The report analyzes its potential impact on the US political system, anti-Israel discourse, and the safety of Jewish communities.
While support for the campaign remains high among the Republican public, an anti-war discourse identified with isolationist currents on the American right, primarily "America First" and "America Only", is intensifying. This discourse does not stop at opposing military involvement; it frequently devolves into narratives such as: "Israel First", "Dying for Israel" and accusations of Israeli or Jewish "control" over US foreign policy.
According to the report (which covers the period up to April 1, 2026), online discourse reflects a sharp polarization: Establishment Leadership, Republican leaders, political officials, and mainstream conservative commentators frame the campaign as an essential necessity to curb the Iranian threat, ensure regional deterrence, and protect US allies. However, prominent figures in the populist and anti-establishment sphere frame the war as a violation of the "no more wars" promise, claiming it fails to serve American interests.
The report highlights a significant surge in anti-war messaging on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter). These messages are often accompanied by antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories against Israel including thousands of mentions of terms like "Neocon", “America First” and "Dying for Israel” which attempt to link the war to domestic US political conspiracies.
According to the report, it also appears that while the majority of Republicans currently support action against Iran, this support is not unlimited. As the campaign lengthens, expands, or leads to significant economic costs, the rifts within the Republican camp may deepen, and voices opposing American involvement may grow stronger.
The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism emphasizes that these trends may have direct implications not only for Israel-US relations, but also for the level of risk faced by Jewish and Israeli communities in the United States.
Past experience shows that when anti-Israel narratives are combined with accusations of "dual loyalty," "Jewish control," or "wars for Israel," the path to an increase in antisemitic incidents is particularly short.
Amichai Chikli, Minister of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism:
"The picture emerging from the report is concerning: alongside significant American support for the war against the Iranian terror regime, a discourse is expanding in the U.S. that attempts to present Israel as acting manipulatively, as if it dragged the U.S. into war. This is a dangerous discourse that often devolves from political and diplomatic criticism into conspiratorial rhetoric with a sharp antisemitic aroma. Our role is to identify these trends in time, alert people to them, and act together with our partners to understand deep-seated trends and know how to prepare and respond to them."
Avi Cohen-Scali, Director General of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism:
"The report emphasizes how much the perceptual arena in the U.S. affects reality on the ground. We identify an increasingly tightening connection between internal political debate in the U.S. and the dissemination of anti-Israel and antisemitic messages online. The National Command Center of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism continues to monitor developments, analyze the discourse in real-time, and provide updated assessments to relevant parties in Israel and around the world."
The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism notes that heading into this coming November and the U.S. midterm elections, the issue is expected to continue shaping the political discourse on the American Right. They emphasize the need for continued close monitoring of the evolution of narratives, their impact on public opinion, and the potential implications for Israel and American Jewry.
Executive Summary of the Research
The report analyzes Republican positions toward the war with Iran as of March 2026 and assesses how internal U.S. political divisions may influence the conflict's progression. A summary of recent U.S. public opinion polls indicates that approximately half of Americans oppose the war, about a third support it, and a large portion of the public remains uncertain. Opposition to the strikes is most notable among Democrats and Independents, while Republican voters largely support the war. The vast majority of the American public opposes the deployment of U.S. ground troops.
The report reveals rifts within the Republican Party. A stream identified with the "America First" isolationist approach argues that the strikes contradict the anti-war rhetoric of previous campaigns and risk dragging the U.S. into another prolonged Middle Eastern conflict, leading to high economic costs that harm domestic interests. Some actors in this camp also disseminate "Israel First" narratives, alongside messages such as "Dying for Israel," which frame the war as serving Israeli or foreign interests at the expense of American interests. In some cases, these narratives are accompanied by antisemitic claims regarding disproportionate Jewish or Israeli influence over U.S. foreign policy.
In contrast, the Republican Party leadership, prominent figures in conservative media, and pro-Trump influencers justify the intervention, presenting it as a necessary deterrent against Iran's nuclear ambitions and regional activities. These divisions can be understood through three primary ideological layers on the American Right:
The MAGA Camp (Make America Great Again): More closely identified with support for assertive foreign policy and maintaining the alliance with Israel.
The "America First" Stream: Expresses a populist, anti-establishment view emphasizing domestic priorities and opposition to prolonged military involvement.
The "America Only" Stream: Represents a more radical isolationist approach, sometimes incorporating white nationalist, conspiratorial, and antisemitic rhetoric.
Across all these streams, online influencers and alternative media networks play a central role in shaping the discourse, particularly among younger audiences, by amplifying anti-war messages and framing the conflict as inconsistent with American interests.
Current polls and political discourse indicate that Republican support for the war remains strong but may be conditional. While voters identified with MAGA and party leadership largely support the campaign, rifts in conservative media and among parts of the Republican leadership suggest that support could weaken if the conflict becomes prolonged, expands operationally, or incurs sustained economic costs.
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 9, 2026 - The State of Maryland has reached a settlement in principle with the owner and operator of the Dali, the cargo ship involved with with March 26, 2024 collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Attorney General Anthony Brown announced that the state has reached a settlement with Grace Ocean Private Limited, and Synergy Marine Private Limited, resolving a portion of the state's claims from the collision.
The settlement resolves claims brought against the vessel interest by the Office of the Attorney General's Civil Litigation Division on behalf of the state.
However, the settlement does not resolve any claims the State may have against the shipbuilder, Hyundai.
Baltimore, MD – Apr. 7, 2026 – BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Linda Segal, a"h, sister of Rikki Sudikoff.
Shiva will be observed at 3018 Northbrook Road, Baltimore, MD 21208 on Sunday and Monday, April 12 & 13, 2026,
Mincha/Maariv: 7:30PM
Visiting times:
Sunday, Apr. 12: Noon-4:00PM and 6:15-8:30PM
Monday, Apr. 13: 1:00-3:30Pm and 6:30-8:30PM
בלע המות לנצח
U.S. forces pummeled a critical offshore hub of Iran’s oil-export industry as the world waited to see if President Trump would follow through on his threat to bomb the country into the Stone Age unless his ceasefire demands are met.
Oil prices rose and stocks fell as American strikes rained down on Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, and Mr. Trump warned Iran in no uncertain terms about the consequences of failing to negotiate.
“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will,” he wrote Tuesday on Truth Social.
Mr. Trump was referring to his 10-day deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for oil traffic, or risk devastating strikes on its power plants, bridges and other infrastructure. The president has also been insisting on guarantees that Iran won’t rebuild its ballistic missiles and its suspected nuclear weapons program.
Baltimore, MD — Apr. 7, 2026 — 9:10 AM (BJL) — A Freeze Warning has been issued for the Baltimore area, effective from midnight tonight through 9:00 AM Wednesday, April 8.
After a relatively mild day, temperatures are expected to drop sharply overnight into the upper 20s and low 30s. Prepare for a winter-like chill by tomorrow morning.
Conditions are expected to remain dry, but the cold will be biting until mid-morning Wednesday.
Jerusalem, Israel - Apr. 7, 2026 - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “We are crushing the terrorist regime in Iran. But we are doing so with even greater vigor, and with increasing force. Yesterday, we destroyed transport planes and dozens of helicopters. Today, we attacked the train tracks and bridges used by the Revolutionary Guards.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Tuesday, 7 April 2026) [translated from Hebrew]:
"I tell you constantly that we are crushing the terrorist regime in Iran. But we are doing so with even greater vigor, and with increasing force.
Yesterday, our pilots destroyed transport planes and dozens of helicopters at an Iranian Air Force base. Today, they attacked the train tracks and bridges used by the Revolutionary Guards. They use these to transport raw materials for weapons, the weapons themselves, and the operatives who attack us, the US, and the countries of the region, the same operatives who also oppress the Iranian people.
And this is the central point: These actions, which I approved together with the Minister of Defense, are not intended to attack the Iranian people. On the contrary, they are intended to weaken and crush the terrorist regime that has oppressed them for 47 years.
This is no longer the same Iran, nor is it the same Israel. We are changing the balance of power from one end to the other."
US President Donald Trump warned that a civilization will "die tonight" if Iran does not accede to his ultimatum to reach an agreement to end the current war.
"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform this afternoon. "I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will."
"However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalized minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS? We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran!" he said.
Yesterday, the President gave a speech in which he clarified that the deadline he set for reaching an agreement with Iran until Tuesday remains in place, and issued additional threats against the regime in Tehran.
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 7, 2026 - Pesach is the holiday on which we renew our trust in HaShem. It was on this holiday when HaShem demonstrated to His people and to the Egyptians that He not only created the world, but that He continues guiding and pays close attention to every person. In this context I wish to share with you my most recent conversation with my nephew Reb Shlomo Bodenheimer. He shared with me what occurred to his son Yaakov this past Shabbos chol hamoed.
This past Shabbos chol hamoed, my great nephew, Yaakov Bodenheimer was staying with his in-laws who live AT 9 Rechov Abaye v’Rava, just below the Punivezh Yeshiva in Bnei Braq. Their apartment is on the second floor of that building.
At 12:30 Shabbos afternoon the siren went off indicating an incoming missile. Two minutes later they heard the Iron Dome successfully hitting the missile. However, this was a cluster bomb which split into multiple missiles when struck by an Iron Dome. One minute later a missile flew into the fourth floor directly above their apartment and exploded. The missile completely destroyed two apartments including their exterior walls. The family living in one of the destroyed apartments was in Yerushalayim for Shabbos. And the family living in the other apartment happened to be in a room that is on the fifth floor. (They have a staircase inside their apartment.) Naturally, the entire building shook. Yaakov anticipated the crumbling of the building. He and his wife took their infant and exited out through the right stairwell. In fact, all the residents exited through that stairwell. They could have chosen to exit through the left stairwell but nevertheless, nobody chose that stairwell. As it turned out, there were no casualties and the left stairwell suffered much damage from crumbling building material.
On this same day Bnei Braq suffered from four direct hits with no casualties. Two missiles actually exploded but nobody was home in those apartments, and the other two missiles did not explode.
May we soon see the outright expression of HaShem’s bringing us all home to Him, to His Home and may we see what our ancestors saw when they crossed through the Red Sea 3,300 years ago.
Baltimore, MD – Apr. 7, 2026 – (BJL) Heavy fire activity reported at 11 Slade Ave, with numerous fire trucks responding from multiple directions. Expect significant delays in the area.
Baltimore, MD – Apr. 7, 2026 – BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Bayla Bracha Jacobson, a’h, daughter of Rabbi and Mrs. Dovid Jacobson of Los Angeles, sister of Chananya (Mindy) Jacobson of Baltimore, Nechemya (Chaya) Jacobson of Detroit, Elchonon (Hadas) Jacobson of Passaic, Sora (Shlomo) Selkin and Laya (Shalom) Shulman of Lakewood, and Elisheva (Aharon) Zuckerberg of Queens.
The levaya will take place at noon today, Tuesday, April 7, at King Solomon Cemetery in Clifton, NJ.
Shiva details (in Lakewood) to follow.
בלע המות לנצח
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 6, 2026 - Please note these 2 important items not listed on the update below:
1. Do not visit Dunkin' until after 9:30PM on Thursday evening becasue of the issue of כדי שיעשו
2. Safeway is not listed as one of the stores recommended for purchasing chometz immediately after Pesach. Non-chometz items may be purchased. Please see the list below to determine which items are chametz and which are not. Purchases of chometz should take place only four weeks after Pesach, May 8, 2026.
Baltimore, MD – Apr. 6, 2026 – BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Rebbetzin Doris Fine, a"h, sister of Judy Garfinkel/Scheuer.
Shiva will begin Motzaei Pesach, Thursday, April 9, at 6113 Berkeley Ave, #A2 Baltimore, MD 21209.
Visting times:
Thursday, April 9, Motzaei Yom Tov 9pm-10pm
Friday, April 10, 9am-2pm
Motzaei Shabbos, April 11, 9pm-10pm
Sunday, April 12, 9am-11am
Shiva will be completed in Scranton on Wednesday morning, Apr. 15
בלע המות לנצח
Baltimore, MD — Apr. 6, 2026 — 12:20 PM (BJL) — A multi-car accident at the intersection of Park Heights Avenue and Hooks Lane is causing significant traffic delays.
We suggest seeking an alternate route at this time.
h/t: BMore Traffic
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 6, 2026 – 5:45PM (BJL) - An accident on 795 south by Owings Mills Exit 4 has the right lane and shoulder closed.
h/t: BMore Traffic
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 6, 2026 - BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Mrs. Simi Franco, a'h, wife of Sammy Franco and mother of Nathan (Linda) Franco, Abie Franco, Luna, Michael Franco and Jessica Franco.
The Levaya will take place today at 3:00 at Young Israel Shomrai Emunah 1132 Arcola Avenue, Silver Spring (Kemp Mill), MD 20902
Click here for livestream
Meeting ID: 812 1245 1305
Passcode: 613613
Kevurah will take palce at the Mt. Lebanon Cemetery.
Shiva begins after the end of Pesach.
Details to follow
בלע המות לנצח
Baltimore, MD – Apr. 6, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Rabbi & Mrs. Aaron and Naomi Tendler on the birth of a son.
Mazel Tov to the grandparents Rabbi & Mrs. Hillel Tendler and Mr. & Mrs. Shlomo Spetner
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 6, 2026 - A crash on Interstate 695 in Baltimore County near Exit 12B at Maryland 372 (Wilkens Avenue) is causing major lane closures on both the Inner Loop and Outer Loop, affecting multiple travel lanes and shoulders, according to the Maryland State Highway Administration.
Officials say on the Inner Loop, two of four lanes are closed, including the two left traffic lanes and the shoulder.
On the Outer Loop, three of five lanes are closed, including the two left traffic lanes, the right traffic lane, and both shoulders.
At this time, its unclear how many vehicles were involved or if anyone was injured in the crash.
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 5, 2026:
Q: There is a bracha which is recited once a year upon seeing a newly flowering fruit-bearing tree. I have a number of questions regarding Birchas Ha’ilonos:
A: See responses below.
Some locations of budding fruit trees in the community:
Front of KAYTT (Rabbi Dovid Heber)
Front of 3222 Nerak (corner of Hatton);
2700 Willow Glen Drive (corner of Copperfield).
6207 Ivymount
Please contact us with locations of other budding fruit trees.
1.שו”ע או”ח סי’ רכו סעי’ א
2.לחוש לדעת המג”א הובא בשעה”צ שם ס”ק ג
3.מ”ב שם ס”ק ה
4.עי’ כף החיים שם ס”ק א ושדי חמד ח”ה עמ’ 263 (ובפסקי תשובות סי’ רכו הביא לדברי השדי חמד הנ”ל, וכן כמה מן המראה מקומות המובאים להלן הם ע”פ דברי הפסקי תשובות)
5.עי’ בשו”ת מנחת יצחק ח”ג סי’ כה ובשו”ת יחוה דעת ח”א סי’ א, ובארחות רבינו ח”ג עמ’ רכד כתב “כדומה לי שמו”ר [מרן הסטייפלר] זצוק”ל בבריאותו נהג לברך לכתחלה ברכת פרחי האילנות בראש חודש ניסן”
6.מ”ב סי’ רכו ס”ק א וערוך השלחן סעי’ א, ועי’ בשו”ת ציץ אליעזר חלק יב סי’ כ ובשו”ת יחוה דעת שם, וע”ע בחי’ חת”ס על השו”ע שם מש”כ בשם ר’ נתן אדלר
7.שו”ת מנחת יצחק ח”י סי’ טז
8.שו”ת ציץ אליעזר שם אות ו
9.כף החיים סי’ רכו ס”ק ד
10.עי’ בשו”ת יחוה דעת ח”א סי’ ב
11.בהליכות שלמה על תפלה עמ’ רפט כתב שהגרש”ז אויערבאך זצ”ל היה מברך אף בשבת, ועוד כתב שם בשם נפש דוד להאדר”ת שהיה מהדר לברכה בשבת כדי להשלים מאה ברכות
12.באשל אברהם מבוטשאטש סו”ס רכו כתב “לגבי ברכה העיקר בראיה מפורשת ממש”
13.לא ראינו שום קפידא בזה
14. הפמ”ג בפתיחה להל’ ברכת אות יח כתב “ברכת שבח רשאי יושב לבד ברכת הלבה מעומד”, אולם דעת מו”ר ר’ היינעמאן שליט”א שלכתחלה נכון לעמוד, ועי’ בשו”ת תשובות והנהגות ח”ג סי’ עו שכתב שראוי לכתחלה לעמוד בברכת השבח, ועי’ בשו”ת רבבות אפרים ח”ו סי’ תט אות ו שהגר”מ פיינשטין זצ”ל נהג לעמוד לברכת ברקים ורעמים
15.כף החיים סי’ רכו ס”ק א וס”ק ב, ועי’ בשו”ת ציץ אליעזר חלק יב סו”ס כ, ובספר הליכות שלמה על תפלה עמ’ רפט כתב שהגרש”ז אויערבאך זצ”ל הידר לברך בראית שתי אלינות
16.בשו”ת רבבות אפרים ח”ח סי’ עז כתב שראה הגר”מ פיינשטין זצ”ל מברך על אילן אחד
17.במ”ב סי’ רכו ס”ק ב כתב דדוקא באילני מאכל מברכים אבל אילני סרק לא, ועי’ בשו”ת שבט הלוי ח”ו סי’ נג אות ד שצידד שאם טעה ובירך על אילני סרק לא יחזור ויברך שנית
18.עי’ בשו”ת להורות נתן ח”ה סי’ ח וסי’ ט
19.בהג’ רע”א על השו”ע סי’ רכו כתב “אם האילנות תוך ג’ שנים לנטעיתן אני מסתפק אם יברך כיון דא”א ליהנות מפריה”, ובכף החיים שם ס”ק יא פסק שלא לברך, אולם בשו”ת דובב משרים ח”ג סי’ ה כתב דאשפר לברך על אילנות ערלה
20.בהג’ רע”א שם כתב “היכא דהוי ספק נ”ל דיברך ולא מקרי ספק ברכה כיון דהדין דספק ערלה בחו”ל מותר א”כ ראוי ליהנות ממנו ומברך שפיר”, ובשו”ת חלקת יעקב או”ח סי’ נו כתב דפשיטא שיש להקל לברך על אילנות ערלה בחו”ל, ולכאורה צ”ע שהרי רע”א לא התיר אלא בספק ערלה בחו”ל אבל בודאי ערלה מספקא ליה, ועי’ במקור חיים להחוות יאיר (בקיצור הלכות) שכתב שאף בא”י יש לברך על אילנות ספק ערלה כיון שהוא מיעוט שאינו מצוי שילבלבו האילנות תוך ג’ שנים
21.כן שמעתי מר’ היינעמאן שליט”א, ולגבי הפרי הנקרא ראסבער”י יש לציין שבספר ותן ברכה לר’ פנחס באדנער עמ’ 395 כתב בשם הגרש”ז אויערבאך זצ”ל שאין בידינו להכירע אם נקרא עץ ולענין ערלה בחו”ל שספק ערלה מותר אפשר להקל אבל בא”י שספק ערלה אסור צ”ע ואין לנו הכרעה
22.שמעתי מר’ היינעמאן שליט”א שאם הדרך לעשות דבר מאכל מאותו מין פרי, מותר לברך עליו ברכת האילנות.
Annapolis, MD - Apr. 5, 2026 - Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is facing one of the most politically difficult stretches of his administration after newly released University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) polls show his approval rating dropping below 50% for the first time during his time in office, while concerns are piling up about his honesty, leadership and the state’s economic outlook.
The UMBC poll found 48% of surveyed Marylanders approve of the job Moore is doing, while 42% disapprove and 9% remain undecided. The numbers mark the governor’s lowest public rating since taking office in 2023 and continue a downward trend from 54% in October 2024 and 52% in October 2025.
Well, it ain’t good,” said Todd Eberly, a political science professor at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. “No incumbent wants to be polling below 50%, especially in an election year.”
These results come as Moore endures what observers describe as his second of three unsuccessful legislative sessions since taking up residency at Government House, with his hallmark effort to redraw Maryland’s only congressional district for Republicans being blocked by Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore City Democrat.
Jerusalem, Israel – Apr. 5, 2026 – This year’s Chol Hamoeid Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel, which typically draws tens of thousands of people, was significantly scaled back. Due to ongoing security concerns and the threat of missile attacks, the Home Front Command, police, and the Western Wall Heritage Foundation limited access to the minyan held inside at Wilson’s Arch, located at the northeast corner of the Kotel Plaza.
Birkas Kohanim begin at the 56:42 mark.
Haifa Area, Israel – Apr. 5, 2026 – In the Haifa area, MDA EMTs and paramedics are providing medical treatment at the scene to four casualties, including an approximately 82-year-old man in serious condition who was injured by a heavy object, and three casualties in mild condition with shrapnel and blast injuries. Additional teams are providing medical treatment to four people suffering from anxiety symptoms.
When emergency teams arrived at the street, they saw a multi-story building that had been hit, with extensive destruction at the scene. Residents reported that there were casualties trapped under the rubble on the lower floors. Responders managed to move large pieces of concrete by hand and rescued an 82-year-old man from the debris who was in serious condition but conscious. He was provided with initial treatment at the scene and evacuated to the hospital in a mobile intensive care unit ambulance while in serious condition.
The building, described as a 7-story structure, sustained a direct hit, causing extensive damage. Large emergency teams, including ambulances, mobile intensive care units, and medicycles, were deployed and began searching the scene. During the searches, responders located a seriously injured casualty trapped in the destruction, along with three additional casualties in mild condition.
Among those treated in mild condition were a 77-year-old woman, a 38-year-old woman, and a 10-month-old baby who sustained a head injury after being struck by shrapnel. In addition, several individuals suffering from anxiety symptoms were treated at the scene.
Emergency personnel reported widespread destruction, including glass, smoke, and concrete scattered across the area. Search operations are ongoing to ensure no additional casualties remain, and teams continue to operate on-site, prepared to provide further medical care as needed.
A US official told Al Jazeera on Sunday morning that the pilot of the F-15E fighter jet, which was shot down over Iran on Friday has been located amid heavy exchanges of fire.
Fox News reported that American forces have successfully extracted the pilot from Iranian territory.
US President Donald Trump confirmed the rescue and wrote on his Truth Social platform: "WE GOT HIM! My fellow Americans, over the past several hours, the United States Military pulled off one of the most daring Search and Rescue Operations in U.S. History, for one of our incredible Crew Member Officers, who also happens to be a highly respected Colonel, and who I am thrilled to let you know is now SAFE and SOUND! This brave Warrior was behind enemy lines in the treacherous mountains of Iran, being hunted down by our enemies, who were getting closer and closer by the hour, but was never truly alone because his Commander in Chief, Secretary of War, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and fellow Warfighters were monitoring his location 24 hours a day, and diligently planning for his rescue."
"At my direction, the U.S. Military sent dozens of aircraft, armed with the most lethal weapons in the World, to retrieve him. He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine. This miraculous Search and Rescue Operation comes in addition to a successful rescue of another brave Pilot, yesterday, which we did not confirm, because we did not want to jeopardize our second rescue operation. This is the first time in military memory that two U.S. Pilots have been rescued, separately, deep in Enemy Territory. WE WILL NEVER LEAVE AN AMERICAN WARFIGHTER BEHIND! The fact that we were able to pull off both of these operations, without a SINGLE American killed, or even wounded, just proves once again, that we have achieved overwhelming Air Dominance and Superiority over the Iranian skies. This is a moment that ALL Americans, Republican, Democrat, and everyone else, should be proud of and united around. We truly have the best, most professional, and lethal Military in the History of the World. GOD BLESS AMERICA, GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS, AND HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!" Truth stated.
Baltimore, MD - Apr. 5, 2026 - The community-wide transition for this year’s Biyur Chometz to the Reisterstown Road Plaza was a resounding success, with every logistical detail handled flawlessly. This small sampling of photos reflects just how smoothly the morning unfolded, a testament to the massive coordination that made the move from Pimlico seamless.
BJL thanks B. Ansbacher Photography and Yosef Weil w/ Yocha Visuals for their photos
Neveh Ilan, Israel - Apr. 1, 2026 - Native Baltimoreans Meir & Sarah Raskas, now living in Neveh Daniel but spending Yom Tov in Neveh Ilan (a suburb of Yerushalayim), wish everyone a Chag Kasher V’Sameach, letting everyone know the reality of living in Eretz Yisrael as they prepare to spend their one Seder with emunah and bitachon among family and many new friends.
Baltimore, MD – Apr.1, 2026 – BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Leah Rivka Quinn, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Mordechai & Naomi Quinn, and granddaughter of Mr. & Mrs. Phillip & Dayna Klitzner and Rabbi & Mrs. Yonason & Tirtsa Quinn.
Shiva has concluded
בלע המות לנצח
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Baltimore, MD - Apr. 1, 2026 - More from Baltimore’s Community-Wide Biyur Chometz 5786/2026, including Baltimore City Councilman Yitzy Schleifer putting out the fire, as he does so many times throughout his service to the broader Baltimore community.
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Baltimore, MD – Apr. 1, 2026 – (BJL) Special thanks to the organizers and volunteers who made it possible—including Councilman Yitzy Schleifer and team, Frank Storch and the Project Ezra team, Dr. Bert Miller, our partners at the Baltimore City Fire Department, Baltimore City Police Department, Department of Public Works, Department of Transportation, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs.
Baltimore, MD – Apr. 1, 2026 - 9:57AM (BJL) Police activity near Smith & Maurleen Rd has traffic slowing in the area.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit cleared for publication on Tuesday morning that four IDF soldiers fell during combat in southern Lebanon.
- Captain Noam Madmoni, aged 22, from Sderot, a team commander in the Nahal Reconnaissance Battalion (934th), Nahal Brigade, fell during combat in southern Lebanon.
- Staff Sergeant Ben Cohen, aged 21, from Lehavim, a soldier in the Nahal Reconnaissance Battalion (934th), Nahal Brigade, fell during combat in southern Lebanon.
- Staff Sergeant Maxsim Entis, aged 21, from Bat Yam, a soldier in the Nahal Reconnaissance Battalion (934th), Nahal Brigade, fell during combat in southern Lebanon.
US President Donald Trump said today (Tuesday) that the war against the Iranian regime will not "last much longer" and said that the US is "obliterating" Iran's forces.
“We’re not going to be there too much longer. We’re obliterating the s-t out of them right now, it’s a total obliteration," Trump told the New York Post. “But we won’t have to be there much longer - but we have more work to do in terms of killing their offensive, whatever offensive capability they have left."
When asked about the Strait of Hormuz, Trump stated that he expects the shipping lane "automatically reopen" with the end of the war and that "the countries that are using the strait, let them go and open it."
He said that the Strait of Hormuz is a secondary concern to him compared to ensuring that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. "My sole function was to make sure that they don’t have a nuclear weapon. They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon."
Tel Aviva, Israel - Mar. 31, 2026 - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, today (Tuesday, 31 March 2026) [translated from Hebrew]:
"My brothers and sisters, citizens of Israel, on the eve of this Festival of Freedom, Israel is stronger than ever. The entire world hears our lion’s roar in our struggle against the evil regime in Iran, a struggle in which we have achieved immense, enormous accomplishments.
But at the same time, there are painful costs. Only yesterday, we lost four of our best sons. On behalf of the citizens of Israel, and on behalf of myself and my wife Sara, I send our deepest condolences to the families of the fallen. We all embrace with love the families who lost what is most precious to them, and we all embrace with love our heroic wounded, wounded in body and soul. For we are one people, bound by the cords of a common destiny to ensure our existence and our future.
Marking one month of our joint campaign with the US, we are systematically crushing the terrorist regime that for decades cried: 'Death to America, Death to Israel.' It is true, in every generation they rise up to destroy us, and in this generation, the regime of the ayatollahs made a massive effort to annihilate us, to take over the Middle East, and to threaten the entire world. It tried to promote these murderous ambitions through the development of nuclear programs and ballistic missiles, the funding and arming of terror proxies around us, and by weathering the heavy sanctions imposed upon it. Now, I want to tell you: Over the years, all of this has cost Iran nearly a trillion dollars. And now it can be said: That trillion has gone down the drain.
But the price we exacted from Iran did not end with money alone. In the spirit of the upcoming Passover holiday, since the beginning of the 'War of Redemption,' we have dealt ten plagues upon the Axis of Evil: The blow to Hamas in Gaza, the blow to Hezbollah in Lebanon, the blow to Assad in Syria, the blow to terrorist organizations in Judea and Samaria, the blow to the Houthis in Yemen, and five more blows to Iran: The blow to their nuclear program, the blow to their missiles, the blow to the regime's infrastructure, the blow to the forces of oppression, and the 'Plague of the Firstborn', or in our case, the blow to the senior leadership. From the tyrant Khamenei, to the nuclear scientists, and onto the master-murderers of the Revolutionary Guard and the Basij, not to mention Nasrallah, Haniyeh, Deif, Sinwar, and many, many more.
After the ten plagues of Egypt, I remind you that Pharaoh still tried to harm the People of Israel, and we all know how that ended. So it is in the campaign against the Iranian Axis of Evil. The campaign is not yet over, but even now it can be said that against the ten plagues suffered by our enemies, we have achieved ten great accomplishments in operations 'Rising Lion’ and 'Roaring Lion’, and in the War of Redemption as a whole.
One, we created a strategic reversal. Before these two operations, Iran sought to suffocate us. Today, we are suffocating them. The Ayatollah regime in Iran is weaker than ever, and the State of Israel is stronger than ever.
Two, we awakened the world to the danger Iran poses to all of humanity. Before the operations, most of the world did not heed our warnings. I want to tell you, I spoke with leaders in the Middle East in secret and in public meetings. I spoke with leaders in Europe. I also spoke with leaders in the US, with US Presidents. They did not internalize the danger. Today, there is no one who does not understand the magnitude of the threat. There are those who tell me in private conversations: 'Prime Minister, we understand. We are afraid to say it, but we understand.' And there are those who say: 'We understand', and, thank G-d, they are also acting.
Three, before the operations, we fought Iran alone. Today, we fight shoulder to shoulder with the United States, in an unprecedented, historic cooperation between President Trump and myself, and between the US military and the Israel Defense Forces. Not only have we strengthened the alliance with the U.S., but we are also creating new alliances with important countries in the region against the shared Iranian threat. I hope that soon, citizens of Israel, I will be able to tell you more about these vital alliances.
Four, we undermined the foundations of the terrorist regime, which before the operations appeared all-powerful. Today, following ‘Rising Lion' and the protests in Iran that followed, and following the crushing blows we have dealt Iran in 'Roaring Lion', we have shaken this regime. And I tell you, sooner or later, it is destined to fall.
Five, we dealt a severe blow to, and removed from over our heads, two existential threats. Before the two operations, Iran was racing forward to develop nuclear weapons and tens of thousands of ballistic missiles. In 'Rising Lion,' we pushed away the immediate threat of Iran arming itself with nuclear weapons and numerous ballistic missiles, and in 'Roaring Lion’ we achieved a complementary success by crushing the regime's industrial capacity to produce these instruments of destruction. I want you to understand, Khamenei intended to take the industrial capacity for nuclear and missile production and hide it deep, deep underground. When I realized this, I brought it before the Cabinet and said: 'We must act, because otherwise, we will not be able to reach these instruments of destruction and the means that produce them.' We had to act and we acted.
Six, we broke the power of Iran's terrorist armies that surrounded us in a noose. It is true, they still have residual capability to threaten us, but they can no longer threaten our existence, or launch the tens of thousands of ballistic missiles and rockets that were intended to destroy Israel's cities. I remember before we set out on the War of Redemption, they spoke of 150,000 rockets and missiles and thousands of Hamas missiles. All of these were supposed to turn Israel's cities – Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Beersheba – into heaps of ruins. That will no longer happen.
Seven, we established security zones deep beyond our borders. In Gaza – in more than half of the Strip's territory. In Syria – from the Hermon ridge to the Yarmouk. And in Lebanon – in an extensive buffer zone that thwarts the threat of invasion and pushes back the threat of anti-tank missile fire on our communities.
Eight, we changed our security concept. We are the ones who attack and initiate, and we are the ones who surprise our enemies.
Nine, we proved that our air defense system is the best in the world. I want to tell you, so many countries turn to us and ask for our help, because they know we are number one in defense, and also number one in offense.
Ten, we showed the wonderful resilience of the People of Israel and the Israeli economy, which, even in a time of war, is breaking records.
Citizens of Israel, we achieved these brilliant accomplishments thanks to you. Thanks to our faith and our strength, which are the guarantee of our existence. Enemies come and go but our ability and determination to stand against them, and, when necessary, to strike them thoroughly, these are the things that ensure our future. Together, we have turned Israel into a regional power, and in certain fields, even a global power. We achieved this thanks to our brave commanders and fighters in the regular and reserve forces, thanks to the fallen heroes of Israel, thanks to your steadfastness, citizens of Israel, and thanks to the courageous decisions we made in the Government of Israel.
While there were those who showed weakness and surrender, we continued the war with full force and struck our enemies with determination and without fear. While there were those who mocked the relationships we built, including with the US, we stuck to the mission and changed the face of the Middle East. We created the conditions for expanding alliances and the circle of peace around us.
Many times during the last two and a half years, I stood before fateful decisions: Rafah, Philadelphi, pagers, Nasrallah, the entry into Gaza City, the insistence on returning all our hostages down to the last one, and not doing more partial deals, the entry into Syria to save our Druze brothers, and of course the bold decisions on 'Rising Lion' and 'Roaring Lion': In all these decisions, I listened to you, citizens of Israel, and I listened to you, the fighters. I met you in the field. You told me: 'We understand well what is at stake. We are strong. Prime Minister, do not surrender to the voices of weakness and gloom. Continue to fight. Continue to lead us from victory to victory.' And that is exactly what we are doing! Connect to the spirit of the people, to the spirit of heroism, to the spirit of victory of our mighty fighters!
From the infantry soldier charging forward in Gaza and Lebanon to the pilot crossing the skies of Tehran, the Israeli fighter is bold as a leopard, light as an eagle, and brave as a lion. We will continue to crush the terrorist regime, we will fortify the security zones around us, and we will achieve our goals.
In the Passover Haggadah, it is said: 'And it is this that has stood for our forefathers and for us, for not only one has risen against us to destroy us, but the Holy One, Blessed be He, saves us from their hand.' The heritage of Israel and our right to our land is what stood for our ancestors, and it is what stands for us. The nation stands firm, and we must all continue to stand firm, and thus, with G-d's help, we will ensure the eternity of Israel.
A happy Festival of Freedom to the entire House of Israel."
Baltimore, MD – Mar.31, 2026 – BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Mrs. Mina Krumbein, a’h, nother of Mrs. Aviva (Rabbi Arthur) Marks and Mrs. Chana Esther (Avraham) Goldman
Kevura is in Eretz Yisroel
Shiva will be observed at 3113 Taney Road, Baltimore, Md 21215
Visiting Times:
Tuesday between Noon - 9:00 p.m.
Wednesday (Erev Pesach) 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mrs. Aviva Marks: 667-273-1438
Mrs. Chana Esther Goldman: 443-660-9278
בלע המות לנצח
JCN & Tikva House Thank Star-K’s Kashering Team; Our Dedicated “Chametz Busters Crew”
Baltimore, MD – March 31, 2026 - The Jewish Caring Network (JCN) and the Rabbi Ephraim & Etti Rubin Tikva House extend heartfelt thanks to Dr. Avrom Pollak and the entire Star-K kashering team, with special appreciation to Rabbi Sholom Tendler, for their incredible work and simcha in preparing Tikva House for Pesach.
This remarkable crew kashered nine sinks, nine countertops, five hot water urns, two microwaves, and seven hospitality rooms, ensuring the home is fully prepared for Yom Tov.
Tikva House is now at or near full capacity for Pesach and is ready to welcome families in a warm, uplifting environment. All meals—including Yom Tov and Seder provisions—are thoughtfully prepared and completely kosher for Pesach, with matzah and all essential needs provided.
For reservations, or if you know someone in need:
📞 Tikva House Reservation Line: (410) 534-1033
We are deeply grateful to our community for its ongoing support, which makes this vital work possible.
Wishing the entire community a Chag Kasher V’Sameach!
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Baltimore, MD – Mar. 30, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Mr. & Mrs. Binyamin Heinemann on the birth of a daughter**.**
Mazel tov to grandparents Yissocher & Malkie Heinemann and Shlomo & Mindy Spetner
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בתם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 30, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to David and Elana Bondy on the birth of a son**.**
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Baltimore, MD - Mar. 30, 2026 - Average gas prices in Baltimore have risen 15.1 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.98 a gallon today, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 663 stations in Baltimore.
Prices in Baltimore are 104.1 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 81.2 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.
GasBuddy price reports show the cheapest station in Baltimore was priced at $3.67 a gallon yesterday, while the most expensive was $4.39 a gallon, a difference of 72.0 cents per gallon.
Across Maryland, the lowest price yesterday was $3.59 a gallon and the highest was $5.09 a gallon, a difference of $1.50 a gallon.
The Torah assigns the night of Pesach a striking name: Leil shimurim. On the simplest level, it describes the condition on the night of Yetziat Mitzrayim itself. After centuries of vulnerability, exposure, and fear, our people finally experienced a night of safety. While death raged through Egypt, the Jewish people sat inside their homes, protected and alive. It was the first Leil shimurim our nation had known in centuries.
A LAYERED NIGHT
In truth, this night had already served as a night of protection long before Yetziat Mitzrayim. This evening appears earlier in the life of Avraham Avinu. When he went to war against the four kings who had swept through the region, Avraham pursued them at night and defeated them. The Torah describes his strategy with the phrase “וַיֵּחָלֵק עֲלֵיהֶם”—he divided against them. On a simple level, this refers to a tactical division of his forces, a calculated maneuver designed to overwhelm the larger enemy.
Yet Chazal hear something deeper in the word וַיֵּחָלֵק. The Gemara reads it as a division of time, a splitting of the night hours. This battle unfolded on the night of the fifteenth of Nisan. Avraham pressed forward until midnight and then halted. The remainder of the night of the fifteenth was reserved for a future deliverance, the night of Yetziat Mitzrayim. The night was divided. The first half served Avraham, and the second half was preserved for us in Mitzrayim.
The layering of this night, shared by Avraham and Am Yisrael, is preserved in the piyyut Vayehi Bachatzi Halailah, which we recite toward the close of the Seder. The piyyut traces a pattern of geulot, each unfolding within this same historic night. Long before we left Mitzrayim, the night of the fifteenth had already been marked and set apart. It was a leil shimurim even before it became ours as a nation.
A TEMPLATE FOR TODAY
The term shimurim does not refer only to the protection granted on that night. It also serves as a model for future generations and future events, even those that do not occur on this date. Yetziat Mitzrayim, our first geulah, became a template for later geulot. Chazal teach that when Moshiach comes, our enemies will be struck by a sequence of events that echo the ten makkot, and the protection of that night will, in some form, return. This night is not limited to what occurred on the fifteenth of Nisan but shapes how future geulah will unfold.
As we move through this current war, our experience partially echoes that first night of Yetziat Mitzrayim. The sounds, the tension, and the sudden turns recall that night. Yet the resemblance remains incomplete. In many respects, we are still far from the fullness of geulah experienced on leil shimurim. We are moving toward geulah, but we have not yet arrived. That future night of redemption will carry the clarity and completeness of Yetziat Mitzrayim.
Until then, as we experience Pesach under fire, we remember what that night felt like in Mitzrayim and recognize how our current reality echoes it while still falling short.
WAR IN HEAVEN
The sequence of ten makkot reflected a shift in altitude. The early plagues unfolded at ground level. Water turned to blood, the Nile disgorged swarms of creatures, the land crawled with vermin, and the carcasses of dead cattle lay across the landscape.
Gradually, the arena of the makkot rose from earth to heaven. Beginning with shechin, attention turned upward. Moshe cast handfuls of furnace soot into the air, and it spread across Egypt before descending upon the Egyptians as a skin affliction. Barad followed, with thunder and flaming hail descending from above. Then came the locusts, driven in from the sky, and afterward a dense darkness that settled from above. Finally, the angel of death passed through Egypt, moving from home to home.
The plagues did not only intensify. They ascended. The battleground shifted from the ground beneath Egypt’s feet to the heavens above.
This shift carried deep monotheistic meaning. Yetziat Mitzrayim introduced monotheistic ideas into a pagan world. Over many generations these ideas would spread, but the direction was set. A central principle of monotheism is the hierarchy between Hashem and man. Paganism blurs that boundary. Man fashions his own gods and imagines that he can influence them through ritual and flattery. Monotheism rests upon an unbridgeable distance between man and Hashem. Hashem is not an extension of human experience but stands beyond it.
The clearest image of that hierarchy is the divide between heaven and earth. Hashem in the heavens, beyond human reach, and man upon the earth. By shifting the later makkot to the heavens, the Egyptians were taught that Hashem is not part of their world and not subject to their control.
Our current war has also shifted from the sand dunes of Gaza to the skies above us and above our enemies. Watching these events unfold in the heavens, and experiencing the success we have seen, reinforces the awareness that Hashem is waging these battles on our behalf. It makes no difference where battles are fought. Hashem ish milchamah, Hashem Shemo. Yet the movement into the heavens sharpens that awareness and strengthens our bitachon.
THE DOME OF THE SHECHINAH
On the night of Yetziat Mitzrayim, we were shielded from Makkat Bechorot by the presence of the Shechinah. That night marked the first time the Shechinah revealed itself to an entire nation. The word Pesach is typically translated as Passover, but it also carries the meaning of hovering over. On that night, Hashem’s Shechinah descended into history on a national scale and hovered above the Jewish homes.
The Korban Pesach drew the Shechinah down from heaven. As the Shechinah hovered over each Jewish home, the angel of death could not enter, and those homes were passed over. The presence of the Shechinah formed an impenetrable canopy of protection, preventing a single Jew from being harmed.
Today, Hashem has granted us the ability to protect our homes in Israel from missiles of death. The technological ingenuity He has enabled, together with the devotion and courage of our soldiers, has saved hundreds, if not thousands, of lives.
Yet this protective shield is not fully sealed. We have still suffered casualties and injuries. Our defenses are powerful, but they remain partial.
We live beneath a dome we have built, strengthened by siyata diShmaya, but we remember another kind of protection, quiet and complete. We await the moment when the Shechinah will once again descend, hovering over our homes and keeping us safe from harm.
SHELTER
The night of Pesach was spent at home. We were instructed not to leave our homes so that we would remain protected. This instruction continued to echo in later years in the way we ate the Korban Pesach. Even when the angel of death no longer hovered above, we were still forbidden to take any of the meat outside our homes.
The home became a place of protection, where families gathered for a festive meal that would launch their departure the next morning.
Over the past month, we too have gathered inside for protection. It has not been around festive tables or in a spirit of celebration. We have been crowded into shelters, waking multiple times each night.
Like Pesach, we have been drawn indoors for safety. Our protection has not been complete, and our sheltering has been tense and unsettled.
HURRIED
The night of Pesach unfolded with haste and compressed schedules. When redemption arrives, Hashem contracts time and accelerates history. Sudden political shifts and rapid timelines signal that geulah is approaching. This was evident in the final year in Mitzrayim and even more on that last night. Within hours, we moved from slavery to freedom, from bondage to destiny, marching toward our homeland. Matzah became the enduring image of that hurried departure. Our geulah was too urgent to wait for. History moved faster than human rhythm.
The past month has carried a similar urgency. We feel history lurching forward. Wars are unfolding in compressed timeframes, and the landscape shifts almost daily. Once again, events outpace us, and we are being hurried along.
Yet unlike Mitzrayim, our urgency is not yet aligned with redemption. An entire nation remains tethered to its phones, moving between routine and shelter, between ordinary life and sudden alarm. In some communities, the distinction between day and night has blurred, as relentless barrages interrupt every rhythm.
In Mitzrayim, the acceleration carried us forward with clarity and security, driving us toward freedom. Our current urgency feels unsettled. History is pressing forward, but it has not yet reached that final surge toward redemption and stability. We are moving quickly, but we have not yet arrived.
SILENT AND LOUD
The night of Pesach was at once loud and silent. In the Egyptian quarters, it was filled with fear and shrieking. Pharaoh roamed the streets of Mitzrayim, searching for Moshe and pleading with him to leave at once. For the Jewish people in Goshen, the night was strikingly quiet.
ולכל בני ישראל לא יחרץ כלב את לשונו
Hashem’s Shechinah descended, and even the natural order seemed to respond. The world beyond was chaotic, but the Jewish world was calm and composed. Even the dogs did not disturb the stillness.
We have not known much of that stillness in Israel this past month. Serenity has given way to sirens that wake us at night, interrupt our meals, and cut into our tefillah. In some places there are only seconds to reach shelter. The noise unsettles, and what it signals weighs on us. The sirens are followed by ambulances and security forces rushing to the sites where missiles have struck. Life has become loud and constantly interrupted.
We wait for that quiet to return. We long for a life that feels protected again, where the chaos no longer reaches us.
We have experienced many of the sounds and emotions of the night of Yetziat Mitzrayim. We are moving toward our geulah, but we are still at a distance. Some elements of that night have begun to reappear, while others remain beyond our reach.
NO LONGER DEFENSELESS
Yechezkel (chapter 16) describes our people during the Egyptian experience as a newborn cast into the open field, abandoned and struggling for life:
ואעבור עליך ואראך מתבוססת בדמיך
Hashem took us in, raised us, clothed us, and sustained us. That image captures how exposed and helpless we were in Mitzrayim, without strength and without protection. It reflects the unilateral nature of the geulah from Mitzrayim.
We are no longer that defenseless child. We have a state, an army, and millions of Jews, in Israel and across the world, working tirelessly to defend our people. We depend deeply on Hashem’s siyata diShmaya, but we now stand as partners in shaping our destiny.
The Haggadah emphasizes that on the night of Pesach, Hashem alone passed through Egypt and struck down the Egyptians, without any intermediary:
אני ה' אני ולא מלאך, אני ולא שליח
Moshe’s name is absent from the Haggadah to underscore this reality. Redemption unfolded directly through Hashem, without human agency.
Today we act as His agents. At this stage of our redemption, we fight, we build, and we protect, often with courage that stretches beyond what we imagined possible. We still long for a moment when Hashem will descend into history and reshape it without the filters of politics and human effort, אני ה' אני ולא מלאך.
Until that moment arrives, we continue as partners with Hakadosh Baruch Hu, acting as His agents in this world, defending the land of our Avot and struggling to rebuild Jewish life in our homeland.
Chag Kasher V’samei’ach
Baltimore, MD – Mar.30, 2026 – BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Mr. Elilyahu Ilya Muratov, z’l, father of Leah Mikeladze.
Shiva in Baltimore will be observed on Tuesday only at 2704 Maurleen Court, Baltimore, Md 21209
Visiting: 9:00AM -1:00PM, 2:00 - 6:00PM, 7:00 - 9:00PM
בלע המות לנצח
Baltimore, MD - Mar. 30, 2026 - Bikur Cholim of Baltimore would like to thank Dr. Avrom Pollak and the entire Star-K kashering team, especially Rabbi Sholom Tendler, for working overnight and kashering the Bikur Cholim Kosher Hospitality Rooms at John’s Hopkins, Sinai, GBMC and Union Memorial Hospitals which will all be fully stocked and ready for Pesach.
Wishing the community a Chag Kosher V’Sameach!
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 29, 2026 – BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Mr. Larry Barak, z’l, brother of Mrs. Tammy Hilsenrad.
Shiva will be observed at 3102 W Strathmore Avenue, Baltimore, Md 21215 through erev Pesach, Apr. 1, 2026.
Visiting hours. 10am - 12pm. 2pm - 5pm No evening hours.
בלע המות לנצח
Ma'ale Adummim, Isrqel - Mar. 29, 2026 - I've been writing for days that I'm tired. Today, perhaps for the first time in my life, I realize that I'm not tired. Because tired is the wrong word. You are tired when you've had a long day, when you work hard to accomplish some physical task and yes, when you haven't slept enough (which most of Israel has not. But in truth, we aren't tired. We are weary.
Yemen has joined the war against Israel. How do you fight Israel? No, not on the battlefield - say the cowards of Hamas, Hezbollah, Yemen...and Yemen. You shoot ballistic missiles at their civilians and hope to catch them out in the open. Not "man to man" or "soldier to soldier" - say the cowards in Russia who support by sending drones and military "intelligence", or the cowards of Europe who don't have the guts to back Israel. Their cowardice now, as in the past, is expressed in their silence.
France and the UK, Canada and others. They are silent today, as they were in the 1930s. In any other world, for any other people, when you take a stand against one, it means you are taking a stand for the other. So it was when the world took a stand against Germany and Japan in the 1940s and FOR the Allies (no, not the Jews - they were allowed to die in the concentration camps because G-D forbid the US divert the planes to bomb the railways. Even then, no one stood for the Jews.
So it is today against Russia, and FOR the Ukraine; against the evil ones and FOR the good ones. They send weapons galore, scream out to the media. Russia must be stopped. The Ukrainians must be defended.
France and the UK, Canada and others would never think to thank Israel for taking on Iran...even when the missiles hit Europe (Cyprus so far, others likely soon), they will wallow in their silence. No one will stand for the Jews.
Today, I don't care about the world...I am too tired...no, not tired, weary. Not too weary to fight, to take pride in our Jewish soldiers who defend this land 24 hours a day, 7 days a week...
To the world, I can only say that I am weary of your games, weary of your hypocrisy. I am weary of the lies you believe and worse, the lies you tell. I am weary of the haters, the Tucker Carlsons of the world that you stupidly believe and elevate to gods.
And as I get the early warning...I am weary of stopping to go to the bomb shelter because yet again today (for about the fifth time), Iran has fired ballistic missiles with hundreds of kilos towards my beloved land.
I am weary of being part of your world...weary of waiting for the world to stand with my people, to see us for what we are.
And I'm weary of the idiots who think they are clever when they mock us and the promise made to us by G-D. It's in your freaking bible, up there on the shelf gathering dust.
The oldest living land deed known to man - the documenting of Abraham buying the Cave of the Patriarchs to bury his wife. There his is buried with his son and his grandson and all their wives. Today, daily, my people go there and pray. In this ancient land that is still ours.
The oldest living set of laws, the ten commandments, that are the basis of the western world's sense of justice.
To Abraham: On that day, the Lord formed a covenant with Abraham, saying: “To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt, until the great river, the Euphrates river.” (Genesis 15:18)
To Isaac: Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and I will bless you, for to you and to your seed will I give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham, your father. (Genesis 26:3)
To Jacob: And the land that I gave to Abraham and to Isaac I will give to you, and to your seed after you will I give the land. (Genesis 35:12)
Via Moses: And it will come to pass that the Lord will bring you into the land of the Canaanites and Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which He swore to your forefathers to give you a land flowing with milk and honey …. (Exodus 13:5)
And it will come to pass when the Lord will bring you into the land of the Canaanites, as He swore to you and to your forefathers, and He has given it to you. (Exodus 13:11)
The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go ascend from here, you and the people you have brought up from the land of Egypt, to the land that I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: “I will give it to your descendants.” (Exodus 33:1)
And the Lord said to me, “Arise, go to lead the travels before the people, so that they may come and possess the land I promised their forefathers to give them.” (Deuteronomy 10:11)
When I bring them to the land which I have sworn to their forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey, they will eat and be satisfied, and live on the fat of the land. (Deuteronomy 31:20)
I bring them into the land which I have sworn to give them. (Deuteronomy 31:21)
And He commanded Joshua the son of Nun, and said: “Be strong and courageous! For you shall bring the Children of Israel to the land that I have sworn to them, and I will be with you.” (Deuteronomy 31:23)
And the Lord said to him, this is the land I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, “I will give it to your offspring.” I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there. (Deuteronomy 34:4).
It's in YOUR bible...you can't believe some and not all of it. That's what it says...that's what was promised, and that is what has come to be.
Not by your hand but by ours, and by G-D's. Despite your silence. Despite your hypocrisy. Because, as I've come to realize, it doesn't really matter of you stand with the Jews because the G-D of Israel does. Never will He grow weary; never will He fail us.
And so, perhaps in writing this, I've reminded myself...it will be okay. G-D will take care of us as He promised. We have only to believe.
My people are strong. My people are eternal. We never really needed you to stand for us. We are grateful to the American president and government and so grateful to the soldiers and pilots of that great nation. It is time for me to remember, those who stand on the wrong side, fade into history.
The nations who are silent today are being eaten up from the inside and are unlikely to survive. If G-D has shown us anything, it is that they are not eternal.
Gone are the Amalekites, Canaanites and Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, the ancient Greeks, the ancient Romans, the Assyrians and the Philistines...so it will be again. G-D will not fail us.
When we are weary, all we have to do it look out our windows to our beautiful land...
Jerusalem, Israel - Mar. 28, 2026 - United Hatzalah Update:
Injuries from Missile Impact Summary over Shabbat (March 27–28)
During the course of Shabbat, United Hatzalah medics were on the scenes of multiple missile impacts reported.
Central Israel: (Friday night): 1 fatality reported, several others injured following a direct impact in a populated area.
Beit Shemesh Region: (Saturday): Reports of 10–12 people injured (mostly light to moderate), with damage to homes and a synagogue.
Tel Aviv / Gush Dan: Several impact and shrapnel scenes reported, including at least 1 moderate injury and additional light injuries.
Negev (southern Israel): Missile impact reported in an open area, no injuries found.
Eilat region: Interception and at least one impact in an open area, no injuries.
In addition to physical injuries resulting from falling projectiles and shrapnel, there were injuries reported by people rushing to their safe rooms and shelters. Additionally, United Hatzalah Psychotrauma and Crisis Response Unit treated several cases of anxiety and shock at the various scenes.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps threaten to target US universities in the Middle East after saying US and Israeli strikes had destroyed two Iranian universities.
“If the US government wants its universities in the region to be free from retaliation… it must condemn the bombing of the universities in an official statement by 12 noon on Monday, March 30, Tehran time,” said the statement published by Iranian media.
The statement added: “We advise all employees, professors, and students of American universities in the region and residents of their surrounding areas” stay a kilometer away from campuses.
Several US universities have campuses scattered throughout the Gulf region, such as Texas A&M University in Qatar and New York University in the United Arab Emirates.
An estimated 8 million people in the United States participated in “No Kings” protests against President Donald Trump on Saturday, organizers say, as Americans vented their frustrations on his leadership.
“At least 8 million people gathered today at more than 3,300 events across all 50 states,” No Kings says in a press release. US authorities have not provided an official count on the number of participants in Saturday’s events.
According to the organizers, there were about one million more participants and 600 more events compared to the last No Kings demonstrations in October.
Baltimore, MD - Mar. 28, 2026 - A WBAL-TV 11 News crew at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport confirmed seeing ICE officers there.
The Maryland Aviation Administration released a statement saying ICE informed the state that additional Department of Homeland Security personnel, including Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), were being deployed to BWI-Marshall starting Saturday afternoon.
“MAA was advised by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that ICE personnel will be working to assist TSA security checkpoints at BWI-Marshall, similar to their roles during recent deployments at airports across the country,” MAA said in a statement.
The deployment comes as travelers waited multiple hours in security lines at BWI-Marshall that wrapped around four times and extended outside the concourse by Saturday evening. The airport urges travelers to arrive at least four hours before their flight’s departure time.
The Israel Defense Forces assessed on Saturday that it would finish targeting nearly all of Iran’s key military industry sites in the coming days, as the war hit its one-month anniversary, and Vice President JD Vance suggested that Washington would soon begin winding down its fight against the Islamic Republic.
The remarks came against the backdrop of heavy airstrikes over Iran, which the IDF said had targeted, among other things, the headquarters of the regime’s Marine Industries Organization, tasked with the production of naval weapons and vessels.
IDF spokesman Effie Defrin said at a press conference on Saturday evening that “within a few days” the military would finish targeting all of the “critical” assets of Iran’s military production industries.
“This means we will destroy most of the military production capabilities, and it will take the regime a long time to restore them,” he said.
Washington, D.C. - Mar. 27, 2026 - President Trump signed an executive order to pay Transportation Security Administration workers, a White House official said, bypassing a gridlocked Congress after the latest proposal to fund the broader Department of Homeland Security ran aground Friday.
The move, which Trump had previewed a day earlier, came as House Republican leaders rejected a Senate-passed bill that would fund most of DHS, including TSA. A long-running standoff in Congress over immigration enforcement has led to missed paychecks for airport security workers and long lines for travelers.
Early Friday morning, the GOP-led Senate agreed in a voice vote to approve legislation to fund all of DHS through the end of the fiscal year—except for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol. The measure would provide funding for an assortment of programs, including the Transportation Security Administration, the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
But the legislation quickly ran into objections in the House over the lack of immigration-enforcement funding. Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) told GOP colleagues that the House wouldn’t vote on the Senate bill and instead look to pass a measure that would fund all of DHS for eight weeks and provide back pay for government workers.
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 27, 2026 – Travelers heading through BWI this morning are facing extremely long delays, with TSA lines reportedly stretching out the airport doors and wait times reaching 3–4 hours.
One local traveler shared that his son, who had a 10:25 AM flight to Cleveland, was forced to abandon his plans and drive instead after realizing he would not make it through security in time.
With today being Erev Shabbos, when many in the community are traveling under tight time constraints, these delays are especially concerning. Travelers are strongly advised to allow several extra hours at the airport—or consider alternative plans if possible.
Jerusalem, Israel - Mar. 27, 2026 - After many months of intense study and planning, 128 new state of the art surveillance cameras will replace the current aging network installed nearly a dozen years ago. The replacement project will greatly enhance security on Har Hazeisim, according to the International Committee for Har Hazeisim (ICHH). The initiative was originally first announced by Rabbi Yitzchak Goldknopf, the former Minister of Housing and Construction and by his Chief of Staff Moti Bobchik.
Rabbi Goldknopf informed Avrohom and Menachem Lubinsky, the co-chairs of ICHH, that he had secured NIS 6 million for the cameras with the project due to be executed by Israel’s Police. The cameras will feed into a new updated central monitoring station with full views of every corner of the 2-kilometer holy cemetery. While being stalled due to the security situation in the country, the project received a final push from Itamar Ben Gvi, Minister for Internal Affairs.
The ICHH leaders thanked the government officials for this important major improvement to the security of visitors to Har Hazeisim. “Using new technology, the cameras will greatly enhance the experience of mourners and visitors to Har Hzeisim,” the Har Hazeism leaders said.
The groundbreaking announcement comes on the heels of the historic mission of the ICHH in February. Prominent community leaders from around the world attended the 2-day mission to mark the completion of the first phase of construction of the historic Visitor Education Center on Har Hazeisim which will include a fully staffed police station to go along with the new surveillance cameras. More than 150 community activists met with leading personalities in government including the Chief Rabbis, President Isaac Herzog who hosted a state reception honoring the historic reclamation of Har Hazeisim, several minister of government, 20 members of Knesset, the special Knesset Caucus on Har Hazeiaim, formerly headed by MK Rabbi Yoav ben Zur and MK Erez Malul of Shas. The events culminated with a reception at the US Embassy by Ambassador Mike Huckabee.
The ICHH was founded in May 2010 after devastating abuse and neglect as well as vandalism against tombstones and visitors. It has been responsible for the improved security on the hallowed mountain since its founding. These security measures originally included the installation of 176 surveillance cameras, opening a police station, gating throughout to keep vandals out, sanitation, and rehabilitation of the infrastructure.
Police officials estimate that the average number of daily visitors has risen from less than 400 nearly five years ago to well over 3000 today. Tens of thousands ascend to Har Hazeisim on the yahrzeits of the Ohr Hachaim, the Rebbes of Zhvill, the Bartenura, and the Rebbes of Gur. A growing number of visitors visit the various kevarim of the leading sages over the generations, the burial place of the Nevi’im, the site where the ashes of the parah adumah were placed, the exact spot where the new chodesh was proclaimed and other historic places associated with the period of the Bais Hamikdash.
The Israeli Air Force, acting on IDF intelligence, on Friday struck the heavy water plant in Arak, central Iran, the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed.
The IDF noted that heavy water is a unique material used to operate nuclear reactors, such as the inactive Arak reactor, which was originally designed to have weapons-grade plutonium production capabilities. These materials can also be used as a neutron source for nuclear weapons.
Additionally, the IDF statement said, the plant was a significant economic asset for the terror regime and served as a source of income for the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, generating tens of millions of dollars for the regime each year.
“Despite explicit international commitments, foremost among them the nuclear agreement, the Iranian terror regime has systematically avoided converting the reactor so that it would not enable the production of weapons-grade plutonium, and even deliberately ordered that the conversion not be completed," said the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 27, 2026 – BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Tinok, z'l, ben, yl't Bentzion Avraham Press, son of Avi and Leelee Press, and grandson of Mr. & Mrs. Sam Press.
The Levaya will be graveside at 2:00PM today at the Agudah Cemetery 6300 Hamilton Avenue Rosedale Maryland 21237
Shiva will be observed at 6300 Fairlane Dr., Baltimore, MD 21209 until Wednesday afternoon, Apr. 1
בלע המות לנצח
Jeruslaem, Israel - Mar. 27, 2026 - Already exhausted by nearly four weeks of missile fire overnight from Iran and Lebanon, Israelis lost an hour of sleep overnight Thursday-Friday, with clocks jumping forward one hour, from 2 a.m. to 3 a.m., marking the start of daylight saving time.
Daylight saving time will end on October 25, 2026.
Israel made the move nearly three weeks after the US, where most locations changed the clocks on March 8.
In 2013, the Knesset passed legislation extending daylight saving time from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.
Life would be quite different with a Navi (prophet). Think about the numerous questions we deal with over the course of our lives. I'm not talking about questions like what type of cereal you should eat in the morning (although, if you are asking me, I'd definitely recommend Honey Bunches of Oats, without a question!), or which hand soap you should use.
I'm talking about big questions that come up that require big decisions. Should I do this for a living or that? Is this person my bashert? What parenting method should I implement for this struggling child? What shul is best for me and my family? What is my particular role in the collective framework of Klal Yisroel? And so on.
In the times of old, you could call up (ok fine, you probably would have to walk to their home and speak in person!) a local reputable Navi, ask him your important questions, and walk out with a great sense of clarity as to what your decision should be. How amazing is that! Of course, this Navi era in Jewish history had its own set of shortcomings, but we can surely appreciate the incredible clarity that must have been felt in times of great question and need.
Today, in the 21st century, we no longer have a Navi to go to. We have Rabbanim, teachers, and mentors, for sure. But an actual Navi, someone who can guide you with a heightened level of Ruach Hakodesh, doesn't exist today.
Or does it? I'd like to share with you an idea based on Rav Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin, in his sefer Tzidkas HaTzadik. The Rebbe explains that every person has some type of deficiency, something that he lacks and fails in. However, in that place of deficiency and failure, therein lies this person's very advantage and path toward success (see Tzidkas HaTzadik, Par. 70, 76, and 181).
It's true, we don't have the technical Navi to guide us. But Jewish wisdom teaches that we certainly have a different type of guide, a "Navi," if you will. It's called our struggles! Our struggles (the areas in life where we have a tendency to fall) are our inner Navi that is meant to guide us toward a path of greatness. Our struggles are not random, and they are certainly not a death sentence; rather, our struggles are actually a G-d-given "prophecy" telling us where exactly we can excel and become great.
People tend to write themselves off as failures in whatever areas they struggle with over a period of time. Take shacharis as an example. A person who has been consistently waking up late and neglecting proper shacharis for years assumes that he's just not a shacharis guy and will never be. This is furthest from the truth. Based on Rav Tzadok's teaching, we see the exact opposite: the mere fact that this person struggles with shacharis is the greatest proof and sign that this person, in particular, can become the most amazing shacharis guy.
Take another example. A person who struggles with Shemiras Einayim tends to think that this is simply his disposition and will remain this way forever. In truth, however, the fact that he struggles with this nisayon is the greatest proof and sign that he can become a person who has tremendous control regarding what he sees. This person's struggles are not random; they are telling him that he can excel in matters of kedusha.
Reframing our struggles from "failures" to "recipes for achieving greatness" is one of the most important things we can do in life.
The Torah tells us (Tzav, 6:18) - במקום אשר תשחט העולה תשחט החטאת, "In the place where the elevation-offering is slaughtered shall the sin-offering be slaughtered." This is perplexing. The Korban Olah (elevation-offering) is brought by someone who wishes to bring a gift to Hashem, and this holy offering is completely elevated to Hashem. In contrast, the Korban Chatas (sin-offering) is brought by someone who committed an actionable sin; he did something wrong.
Yet, the Torah tells us that their offerings are brought in the same exact place. Wild, right!?
But it makes so much sense, because remember: the very place of struggle indicates the place of tremendous growth. The struggles (represented by the sin-offering) are mamish in the same place as the growth (represented by the elevation-offering).
Shabbos HaGadol is a reminder that wherever it is we think we are small, therein lies our ability to be great. Where we think we are קטן, we are capable of becoming גדול. Shabbos HaGadol was the moment that we took the impure god of the Egyptians and used that very deity in the service of our Creator as the Korban Pesach.
Shabbos HaGadol is a time to say those same words we say at a Bris: זה הקטן גדול יהיה - this katan will become a gadol!
Yes, we were on the 49th level of tumah, but it was davka in that place where Hashem took us out and told us that we can become so great!
On this Shabbos, think of the areas in your life where you feel small, think of all the places that you struggle in, and remember that in this very place you can become so incredibly great!
Have a holy Shabbos!
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 27, 2026 – 9:05AM (BJL) Be aware of flashing traffic lights at the intersection of Reisterstown Rd & Slade Ave.
Baltimore, MD - Mar. 26, 2026 - Explore the latest issue of Baltimore Jewish Home.
Click on the graphic below:
Baltimore, MD - Mar. 26, 2026 - This evening, the Chabad Israel Center in Baltimore, under the guidance of Rabbi Shmuel Gurary, held a community-wide Farbrengen in honor of the birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
The featured speaker, Rabbi YY Jacobson, spoke about the message of Yetzias Mitzrayim and the Seder, and how it is applicable to our lives today.
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Baltimore, MD - Mar. 26, 2026 - Shabsi’s Judaica will be reopening tonight from 9-10:30 for your Pesach shopping convenience
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Jerusalem, Israel - Mar. 26, 2026 - Following the significant damage caused by direct missile strikes in Arad and Dimona last Saturday, the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) Board of Directors approved 5 million NIS in emergency assistance to the southern municipalities.
The decision, initiated by KKL-JNF Chairman Eyal Ostrinsky, follows the Board's previously approved aid for cities affected during Operation “Roaring Lion,” including Beit Shemesh and Be’er Sheva.
Allocating a total of 2.5 million NIS to each municipality, the aid includes immediate cash-flow assistance of 1 million NIS to address urgent municipal and community needs, alongside 1.5 million NIS designated for strengthening protective infrastructure. This will support the placement of protective shelters, upgrades to existing public shelters, and the reinforcement of protective measures in public spaces.
KKL-JNF Chairman Eyal Ostrinsky said: “In the face of a challenging security reality and mass-casualty incidents, KKL-JNF sees it as a national duty to respond swiftly and provide immediate support on the ground. The decision to allocate millions of shekels to Dimona and Arad is intended to give municipalities, communities, and moshavim breathing room, enabling them to address the most urgent needs without delay and deploy protective shelters in public areas. We are committed to remaining engaged and instrumental, acting quickly and efficiently, working in close cooperation with local leadership, and providing the best possible support in light of this harsh reality. We will continue to act decisively wherever the home front needs us.”
Jerusalem, Israel - Mar. 26, 2026 - In recent days, much of the focus – including at Chaim V’Chessed – has centered on foreign nationals stranded in Israel and urgently seeking a way out amid the ongoing conflict. With flight disruptions and uncertainty continuing, significant effort has gone into assisting those attempting to depart the country.
At the very same time, however, another group of travelers is facing challenges in the opposite direction – those trying to reach Israel.
This includes Israeli citizens currently abroad who are working to return home, but are encountering a dearth of flights to Israel. It also includes non-Israeli citizens who reside in Israel and are seeking to come back to their families. Additionally, there are foreign nationals who, despite the ongoing war, wish to travel to Israel for the upcoming Pesach holiday or for pressing family obligations.
Officially, Israel has not closed its borders to non-citizens. In practice, however, there have been numerous instances in which non-citizen travelers were prevented from boarding flights to Israel or faced significant questioning and scrutiny prior to departure.
Chaim V’Chessed sources report that foreigners who reside in Israel are generally being permitted to board flights without issue, provided they can show a valid visa and/or other proof of residency.
The situation is more complicated for tourists and other non-citizens without resident status in Israel. Chaim V’Chessed advises that tourists seeking to travel to Israel should come prepared with documentation demonstrating their connection to the country, specifically proof of close relatives in Israel. Travelers should bring along copies of those relatives’ teudot zehut. While such documentation is not always requested, bringing it along can help prevent unnecessary complications and is strongly recommended as a precaution.
Jerusalem, Israel - Mar. 26, 2026 - As part of the ongoing procurement and shipping effort throughout Operation Roaring Lion, the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD) and the IDF’s air and sea bridge operations have marked the landing of the 200th cargo aircraft. Since the start of the operation, over 200 aircraft and ships have arrived in Israel carrying approximately 8,000 tons of military equipment, weaponry, and munitions.
Led by Defense Minister Israel Katz and IMOD Director General Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram, the effort to expand Israel’s defense industrial base and accelerate production rates across Israeli defense industries remains ongoing. The air and sea bridge serves as a critical component in this effort, strengthening operational continuity, supporting the full range of IDF needs, and enhancing readiness and stockpiles.
The air and sea bridge, which has been running continuously throughout the campaign, is led by the IMOD Defense Procurement Directorate (DPD), through its International Shipping Division, the IMOD Missions to the United States and Germany, and the IDF’s Planning Directorate. The Israel Airports Authority and the Israel Civil Aviation Authority are also partners in the operation.
Join Rabbi Chaim Ribiat from the COR and Rav Yissachar Dov Krakowski, director of OU Kosher in Israel, as they discuss important Pesach issues. They address the question of whether decaffeinated coffee can contain chametz, touching on various processes.
Jerusalem, Israel - Mar. 26, 2026 - When my family made aliyah over two decades ago, we left behind in Bergenfield, NJ, a synagogue that played a central role in our religious and communal lives. We loved our shul, our rabbi, and the close-knit community that formed around it.
Our greatest concern wasn’t employment or language. It was whether we could recreate the communal infrastructure that had shaped our family.
With that in mind, we chose the Sheinfeld neighborhood in Beit Shemesh, drawn to Rabbi Avishai David and Beit Midrash Torani Leumi. Known widely as “Rabbi David’s Shul,” BMTL reflected a model familiar to many Anglos: a synagogue that serves not only as a place of tefillah and shiurim, but as the organizing center of communal life - chesed, friendships, youth engagement, and shared responsibility.
Several years later, we moved down the road to Nofei Hashemesh, where the inspiring Rabbi Shalom Rosner serves as its spiritual leader. There too, serious Torah commitment exists alongside integration into Israel’s broader national life. Seeing our children, after high school, enter hesder programs - learning in yeshivot and protecting our nation in the armed forces - reminds us that while these communities may feel culturally familiar to Anglo families, they are deeply and authentically Israeli.
This approach did not begin in Beit Shemesh.
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin of Lincoln Square Synagogue was among the first to embody it. In 1983, at the height of a flourishing American rabbinate, he made aliyah. His commitment to Israel was already evident. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, under Rabbi Riskin’s guidance, Lincoln Square redirected funds designated for a synagogue expansion to support Israel in its hour of crisis. Yet solidarity from afar was insufficient. Rabbi Riskin sought to help shape Jewish life where Jewish history was unfolding.
That vision became Efrat, demonstrating that Torah commitment, inclusivity, and civic responsibility could coexist within Israel’s evolving society.
Over time, similar communities developed across the country, attracting English-speaking families eager to make aliyah without relinquishing the communal framework that had nurtured them. Leaders such as Rabbi Shai Finkelstein, who reinvigorated the Nitzanim shul in Baka, and Rabbi Larry Rothwachs, now moving to Ramat Beit Shemesh, continue strengthening communities grounded in Torah while fully engaged in national life.
Which brings us to the present.
Rabbi Kalman Topp - senior rabbi of Beverly Hills’ Beth Jacob Congregation and formerly of the Young Israel of Woodmere - has chosen to make aliyah in the prime of his career to help establish a new kehillah in Givat Hamatos, Jerusalem’s first new neighborhood in decades.
His decision reflects a much older pattern. Well before Rabbi Riskin, figures such as Rabbi Abraham Isaac HaCohen Kook and Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog left Europe to assume rabbinic leadership in the Land of Israel. They understood that Jewish destiny was no longer centered in Europe. Torah leadership needed to stand where the Jewish future was being built.
Today, amid rising global antisemitism and uncertainty in the Diaspora, many Anglos considering aliyah are searching not only for housing but for belonging. When seasoned communal leaders relocate and invest in building strong synagogue-centered communities, they ease the transition for new immigrants and provide a framework for meaningful Jewish life.
Aliyah does not require abandoning the communities that shaped us. For my family, it has meant carrying forward the warmth and framework we once knew in Bergenfield - now part of our lives here in Israel, where we are privileged to witness the next chapter of our national story unfold.
Gedaliah Borvick is the founder of My Israel Home (www.myisraelhome.com), a real estate agency focused on helping people from abroad buy and sell homes in Israel. To sign up for his monthly market updates, contact him at [email protected].
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 26, 2026 – (BJL) HaRav Moshe Heinemann, shlita, spoke to the talmidim at Yeshivas Toras Simcha today. Rav Heinemann stressed how fortunate our talmidim are to be privileged to learn in a yeshiva with menuchas hadaas and wonderful rebeeim. The Rav encouraged the talmidim to help with Pesach preparations at home. The Rav greeted each middle school talmid and gave a bracha to each talmid.
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 26, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel to Mr. & Mrs. Avraham and Ruchama Golish on the birth of a son.
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
There is a long-standing tradition that the Shabbos before Pesach is referred to as Shabbos Hagodol – The Great Shabbos. Virtually every commentary relates this title all the way back to Yitzias Mitzrayim. The year Bnei Ysroel left Mitzrayim, Pesach fell on a Thursday. Hence, the preceding Shabbos was the 10th of Nissan. This was a particularly special day. It was on the 10th of Nissan that Bnei Yisroel were commanded to take the lamb which would eventually be used as the first Korban Pesach. (Shemos, 12:3) Accordingly, we mark the Shabbos which precedes Pesach as Shabbos Hagodol. (Tur Orech Chayim, Siman 430).
The Halachic authorities go into great detail as to the reason for the observance. They point out that the lamb was the god of Mitzrayim. This is why Hashem commanded that the lamb be taken, tied to the bedpost for four days, then roasted over an open fire, with its head attached. There could be no doubt as to what animal Bnei Yisroel were using for the sacrifice and that the Mitzrim were powerless to stop them. Nevertheless, this all raises the question as to why we observe these great events on the Shabbos before Pesach. It would seem more appropriate to mark the 10th of Nissan, the day they took the lamb for special observance, regardless of which day of the week it happens to occur.
There are a plethora of explanations as to why we mark this historic event on the preceding Shabbos instead of the date. One common thread which runs through several of these explanations is the level of Shabbos observance which Bnei Yisroel kept while they were enslaved in Mitzrayim. Some say that Bnei Yisroel did in fact keep Shabbos at the behest of Moshe Rabeinu, but did so as a convenient day of rest. Moshe had secured this rest day for them from Parroh ostensibly so they could be better slaves. But on this occasion, Sahbbos was clearly marking their allegiance to Hashem, openly defying the Mitzrim for His service. The Mitzrim were outraged at the taking of lambs for sacrifice and tried to stop Bnei Yisroel but Hashem would not allow them to intervene. Others claim that Bnei Yisroel were very careful about Shabbos observance and the fact that they were seen purchasing a lamb on Shabbos was precisely what aroused the Mitzrim’s suspicions. (Pri Chadash) If this had not occurred on Shabbos, there would have been no great Nes in the Mitzrim being unable to stop them, they may not even have noticed.
Regardless of which one of these historical explanations best explains the central role that Shabbos played in the significance of taking the lamb on the 10th of Nissan, it is inescapable that Shabbos was key. Whether we secretly kept Shabbos in Mitzrayim or began to in reality on this week, it is a “Great” Sahbbos. Let us always keep in mind that Shabbos has always been here, ever since the world was created and Hashem “rested” on the seventh day. The week where we, as an Am, began openly keeping it brought about our redemption. It’s no wonder the Gemara says that if all Bnei Yisroel would keep Shabbos properly for two consecutive weeks, Moshiach would come (Shabbos 118b). It has happened before. Let us hope through our love, appreciation and observance of Shabbos that this is the year that it happens again.
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 26, 2026 – BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Mr. Reuvein Englard, z’l, father of Yudi Englard.
The Levaya will take place at 2:30pm today at Wellwood Cemetery, 1500 Wellwood Ave., Farmingdale NY 11704.
Shiva will be observed at 941 Cliffside Avenue through Wednesday morning.
Minyanim:
Shacharis 7:45
Mincha/Maariv tonight 7:05PM
Mincha/Maariv: Sunday-Tuesday 7:10PM
Yudi will be returning to Baltimore earlier in the week; details to follow.
בלע המות לנצח
Jerusalem, Israel - Mar. 26, 2026 - Chantal Belzberg, founding director of OneFamily, has been selected to receive the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement for 5786, Israel’s highest civilian honor. The announcement was made Thursday by Education Minister Yoav Kisch.
Belzberg founded OneFamily in 2001 together with her husband, Marc, and daughter, following the aftermath of the Sbarro bombing in Jerusalem. Since then, the organization has grown into Israel’s national support network for victims of terror and war, providing long-term assistance to more than 20,000 bereaved families and wounded individuals.
Through a unique family-centered model, OneFamily offers emotional, financial, and rehabilitative support, standing alongside bereaved parents, widows, orphans, siblings, and survivors as they rebuild their lives.
Responding to the announcement, Belzberg emphasized that the honor belongs not to her alone, but to those the organization serves.
“I am deeply humbled and moved to have received a call from Minister Yoav Kisch informing me that I will receive the Israel Prize this year,” she said. “This recognition is not mine alone. It belongs to the many bereaved families, wounded survivors, and loved ones we have had the privilege of walking beside over the past 25 years. They are the true source of courage, resilience, and inspiration.”
The Israel Prize will be presented during the official Independence Day ceremony in Jerusalem on April 22.
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent saved the life of a 1-year-old boy Wednesday who stopped breathing while in line at New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport, authorities said.
The agent was assisting Transportation and Security Administration agents at the airport when he responded to a medical emergency involving the child, the Department of Homeland Security said.
The boy became unresponsive in the arms of his father, DHS said. Security footage from inside the airport showed a passenger in a TSA Precejcl line holding the boy.
The child's arms became lifeless, sparking a panic as his father scrambled to find help.
Baltimore, MD - March 25, 2026 - Earlier today, Beth Tfiloh received a threatening phone call. The school immediately contacted law enforcement, who responded promptly and conducted a full assessment of the situation.
Authorities determined that there was no active threat to students, faculty, or staff.
The safety and well-being of the Beth Tfiloh community remain the school’s highest priority. Beth Tfiloh is grateful to local law enforcement for its swift response and will continue to work closely with authorities as needed.
School operations resumed as normal.
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 25, 2026 – BJL regrets to inform the community of the petira of Nella Barash, a’h, mother of Marina (Adam) Klaff.
Shiva will be observed 2410 Sylvale Road Baltimore, MD 21209
Visiting:
Friday from 10am - 2pm
Motzei Shabbos from 8:30pm - 10:pm
Sunday from 10am - 12pm and 5pm - 8pm
Minyan:
Maariv on Sunday at 8pm
בלע המות לנצח
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 25, 2026 – 9:10AM (BJL) This car fire is at the eastbound on-ramp at Greenspring Ave.
This is impacting those attempting to get onto the Beltway from Reisterstown Road or Park Heights Ave.
Baltimore, MD – March 2026 – There are certain things in life we take for granted, and a shiva house having a minyan is one of them. But in reality, that is not always the case.
Too often, individuals assume someone else will attend — yet at times, a minyan does not materialize, creating added stress for families already navigating aveilus.
In response, Baltimorean Jeff Cohn developed T’Nuchamu, a new global initiative designed to address this issue in a simple and effective way. A designated family representative enters and updates levaya and shiva details, while registered volunteers are notified via email, SMS, or WhatsApp to help ensure a minyan.
Beyond that, T’Nuchamu empowers the broader community with real-time updates — including changes such as an avel moving locations, updated minyan times, or newly added visiting hours. Users can also receive reminders as a shiva progresses, helping ensure visits are not forgotten, and can customize notifications by location.
The concept is straightforward yet impactful, offering a practical solution while strengthening communal awareness and responsibility.
For more information, to participate, and/or to support this effort, visit: Tnuchamu.org
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 25, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel Tov to Benny Bernstein (Edmonton, Canada) and Rivka Lerner (Baltimore) on their engagement.
Mazel Tov to Rabbi & Mrs. Jonah & Sarah Lerner
יה"ר שיזכו לבנות בית נאמן בישראל. אמן!
Jerusalem, Israel - Mar. 25, 2026 - In light of the ongoing regional tensions following the Iran conflict, new travel restrictions have further complicated movement in and out of Israel.
Travel to Israel remains limited but possible. Passengers are generally able to obtain seats, though availability is inconsistent and many flights have been cancelled. In many cases, working with an experienced travel agent has proven helpful in securing bookings that are not readily visible online.
Outbound travel, however, continues to be significantly more challenging. Last night, restrictions were further tightened, with only 50 passengers permitted per outbound flight and the number of available flights being reduced. Thousands of travelers – including tourists, students, families, and individuals with pressing medical or personal needs – remain stuck in Israel with no clear or reliable path home.
Chaim V’Chessed has learned that, In light of the new restrictions, Israeli carrier Arkia will operate a nonstop flight from Aqaba in southern Jordan directly to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.
While this option requires travelers to make their way to Eilat and cross the border there into Jordan before continuing on to Aqaba, it may present a practical and timely solution for many who are currently unable to secure departure from Israel itself.
Travelers considering this option should carefully review border crossing requirements, confirm visa/passport eligibility if applicable, and allow ample time for the land transfer between Eilat and Aqaba.
The U.S. Department of State continues to collect information about travelers’ reports, via their Crisis Intake Form. However, many Americans report receiving responses that are often incoherent or unhelpful. Official evacuation options remain limited and inconsistent, and the situation is evolving rapidly.
In addition, the State Department has announced that it will now provide bus travel from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to Amman, Jordan. Travelers will need to arrange their own onward travel from Amman. While international flights are available out of Amman, the journey is expected to be arduous, requiring travelers to navigate long land transfers and border procedures. Passengers may register for the bus service at this link.
In addition to the journey being arduous, travelers should be aware of other potential complications. Historically, there have been difficulties bringing religious items such as tefillin into Jordan, which will present concerns for some passengers. Furthermore, if the busses do not arrive in Amman in the early morning hours, travelers may be required to stay overnight, as most international flights from Amman depart during the earlier part of the day. Careful coordination of timing and logistics will therefore be essential.
The Israel Meteorological Service has warned of heavy rains with expected flooding in southern Israel on Wednesday and Thursday. These weather events may result in road closures and have the potential to cut off travel to Eilat, depending on which highways are affected. Chaim V’Chessed recommends that travelers take this information into account when planning their journey, whether intending to depart via Egypt or Aqaba.
Airspace policies, airline schedules, and border procedures continue to change with little notice. Those attempting to depart are advised to remain flexible, follow Chaim V’Chessed updates, and prepare for last-minute adjustments.
The Israel Police confirmed on Wednesday that inspections of scenes of fallen projectiles in Kiryat Shmona found that for the first time since the war began, Hezbollah used cluster munitions, which landed in a residential neighborhood in the city.
A cluster munition is a munition that comes apart in the air and releases dozens or hundreds of smaller submunitions over a wide area. Some submunitions may not detonate upon impact with the ground, becoming small mines spread out in civilian areas.
A large number of officers from the Northern District Police, Border Police, and explosive ordnance disposal units are operating at the scene under heavy security. The officers are searching nearby gardens, rooftops, and streets to find additional munitions that have yet to explode or be neutralized.
Despite the heavy blows it has sustained, Iran signaled this morning (Wednesday) that it rejects the “15-point plan" proposed by the U.S. administration as a basis for ending the war.
According to reports by Reuters and The Wall Street Journal, Tehran has returned to insisting on baseline conditions that Washington had previously rejected outright, even before the outbreak of the war.
Ebrahim Zolfaghari, a spokesperson for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s emergency command, mocked Trump’s efforts overnight, saying the U.S. president is “negotiating with himself."
Iran’s updated list of demands includes: economic sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz-practical control and the ability to levy charges on passing ships similar to the Suez Canal; a U.S. and Israeli commitment that the war will not be resumed in the future; a demand to halt Israeli strikes against Hezbollah; full removal of sanctions while maintaining its ballistic missile program without restrictions; and compensation for war damages and Iran’s energy losses.
Baltimore, MD – Mar. 24, 2026 - BJL wishes a hearty Mazel to Rivka and Eli James on the birth of a son.
Mazel Tov to grandparents Rabbi and Mrs. Yaacov Cohen
Mazel Tov to great-grandparents Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Grossman
יה"ר שיזכו לגדל בנם לתורה, לחופה, ולמעשים טובים. אמן!
Tel Aviv, Israel - Mar. 24, 2026 - President Herzog: “Today, the Lebanese government took a very bold decision to expel the Iranian Ambassador. This is a major watershed step.”
On March 24, 2026, President Isaac Herzog visited the site of an overnight missile attack on Tel Aviv. President Herzog was accompanied at the scene by the Mayor of Tel Aviv, Ron Huldai. The President then received a briefing at the emergency operations center of the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality.
President Isaac Herzog:
“Tel Aviv is a city that doesn't stop for a moment, a city under barrage from Tehran with its proxies all over, trying to fight us from north to south. But you see here the resilience of the Israeli people and a city that is functioning so well.
“Today, the Lebanese government took a very bold decision to expel the Iranian Ambassador from Lebanon. That's like the High Commissioner of Lebanon for many years.
“This is a very major watershed step that must be exploited and understood in the context of major changes in the region, which can be reached if the empire of evil from Tehran and its proxies, especially Hezbollah, are wiped out and removed so that peace can be brought to this region."
