Baltimore’s crime rate, temples discuss merger, Trump disapproval and more
Solving Baltimore’s Crime Issue
In Annapolis on Sept. 12, Sen. Robert A. “Bobby” Zirkin organized and ran a hearing on violence in Baltimore. “Any level of violence is too much, but this is out of control. It has gotten outrageous,” Zirkin said. “Baltimore City is the engine of the state. We need to determine short- and long-term solutions.” So far this year, Baltimore has had 245 homicides. New York, a city with 10 times more population, has had fewer than 200. “Dealing with the violence in Baltimore City is as challenging and important an issue as I have dealt with in my 20 years in the legislature,” Zirkin said. Eight panels examined the problem of violence from multiple angles. Mayor Catherine Pugh, Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis and Marilyn Mosby, the State’s Attorney General for Baltimore, were among those called to testify at the hearing. Witnesses and the legislators who questioned them talked about problems, the progress being made and solutions that need to be explored.
Read more: Hearing Examines Baltimore’s Epidemic of Violence
Also see: A Cliched Approach to Baltimore’s Crime Rate
Temples Discuss Merger
In a letter emailed to congregants on Sept. 13, Har Sinai Congregation’s Rabbi Linda Joseph and President Anne L. Berman announced that the Owings Mills synagogue has created a “strategic partnership” with Temple Oheb Shalom in Pikesville. Referencing “the unique identities and contributions” of both historic Reform congregations, the letter said the partnership’s objective is “to build a stronger Reform community in Baltimore.” Although the announcement did not provide specifics about what the partnership will entail, the letter told members that “in the months to come, teams from each congregation [will] join together diligently to work through the important details in order to bring this exciting possibility of merging our two congregations to fruition.”
Read more: Har Sinai, Oheb Shalom to Discuss Merger
Trump Disapproval
American Jews overwhelmingly disapprove of President Donald Trump in just about every area, scoring him lower than his predecessor even on topics like Israel, where Jewish approval of Barack Obama was relatively low, according to an American Jewish Committee poll. Of respondents in the poll posted Wednesday by the AJC, 77 percent said they viewed Trump’s job performance unfavorably and 21 percent said they viewed him favorably. Those are considerably worse numbers for the president than in the general population at around the same time, mid- to late August, when Gallup consistently showed Trump scoring favorable ratings in the high 30s and unfavorable marks in the high 50s. Asked for specifics, respondents scored Trump negatively across the board: 73 to 27 unfavorable to favorable on national security; 69-30 on terrorism; 75-23 on U.S.-Russia relations; 71-25 on handling the relationship with NATO and the trans-Atlantic alliance; 77-20 on race relations; 76-23 on immigration; and 68-26 on the Iran nuclear issue. He came out best on U.S.-Israel relations, though still unfavorable: 54-40. Jews continue to identify more as liberal and as Democrat than not. Among respondents, 54 percent said they were liberal, 22 percent classified themselves as moderate, and 22 percent said they were conservative. Party wise, 54 percent said they were Democrats, 15 percent said they were Republicans and 20 percent Independent.
Read: American Jews overwhelmingly disapprove of Trump, poll finds
Also see: A New Religious Transformation Grips America
Day of Unity
An Orthodox Jewish outreach group is calling for a Jewish Day of Unity in which Jews from around the world are being asked to unite and pray. The day will be marked on Sept. 15 with recitations of specific prayers, in synagogues, schools and the Western Wall. The call for a Day of Jewish Unity is sponsored by Acheinu, based in New Jersey and Lakewood, the outreach arm of Dirshu, an organization dedicated to the works and legacy of the Chofetz Chaim, an Eastern European rabbi of the late 19th and early 20th centuries best known for his works about the dangers of gossip. “Jews have historically turned to prayer to bring positive changes to the world,” the group said in its statement, which asks Jews worldwide to recite Chapters 20 and 130 in the book of Psalms and to refrain from gossip. Some 15,000 people have already committed to visiting the Western Wall to say the prayers on that day by signing up on the Day of Jewish Unity website, according to the organization.
Read: Group calls for Jewish Day of Unity to pray for peace and stability
Israeli Walls
Elta North America, an Israeli-owned defense manufacturer with U.S. headquarters in Maryland, was one of four companies chosen to build a prototype for the border wall between the United States and Mexico. The company is a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries. Some 200 companies vied for the tenders, which will provide a $300,000 to $500,000 grant to develop a model. The tender was announced late last week. The final project could cost up to $25 billion. Elta manufactures radar systems and components for branches of the American military. It also provides radar components for the Israeli military, which purchases them using U.S. military aid, which must be spent in the United States. In its Israeli headquarters, Elta manufactures radar systems for Arrow missiles, the Iron Dome anti-missile system, espionage and fighter jets, according to Ynet.
Read: Israeli firm chosen to build prototype of US border wall with Mexico
2018 Orioles Schedule Announced
If you’re an Orioles fan, get ready for an earlier than usual beginning to the 2018 season. The Orioles, who released their schedule Sept. 12, open the season at home against the Minnesota Twins March 29. Due to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, each team will receive four additional days off per season, and the season will begin four days earlier than it did this year. All teams will begin play March 29 and end Sept. 30. Next season, the Orioles face the National League East in interleague play, and that means a pair of three-game series, home and away, with the Washington Nationals.
Read: 2018 Orioles Schedule Begins March 29 at Home
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Top photo: Temple Oheb Shalom side view (Photo by Solomon Swerling, Jmore)
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