Thoughts, notes and happenings...

☹ Don't open this email! (you may become happy)☺

Friday, October 31, 2014 - 12:01 AM

Mega challah bakers make history By MICHAEL C. DUKE | JHV• Thu, Oct 23, 2014 History was made at the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center Thursday evening, Oct. 23, when some 600 women gathered together for the city’s largest-ever challah bake. More....

At Chabad of Uptown, so many kept Shabbos entirely and enjoyed our guest speaker! A tuly uplifting #ShabbosProject it was #Keepingittogether!!

Tues.-Wed, Nov. 4-5 NEW JLI Six Part Course - How Happiness thinks
(15 CLE accredited course) REGISTER
Six part course meets Tuesdays, beginning Nov. 4.
First class offered free to young professionalson Wednesday Nov. 5.

Since the dawn of time, man has been ever-fascinated by the workings of the human brain. Only recently, scientists have been discovering the underlying dynamics that shape and influence our frame of mind--new ways to cope with anxiety and stress, steps that we can take to crystallize our self-concept, and practical tools we can use to build the resilience and grit to ride through any challenge life throws our way.

Surprisingly, Torah and the Talmud have for centuries advocated various approaches to achieving happiness; ideas that are only now being confirmed through scientific observation. How Happiness Thinks offers a Jewish roadmap to happier living. Every lesson contains poignant insights into how our minds operate with practical steps you can take to boost your happiness levels to places unimaginable. More...

Fri. Nov. 7 First Fridays for Young Professionals is back! - The holidays are over, now it's time to join other Houston Jewish Young Professionals for Shabbat Dinner (held the First Friday of every calendar month)! Join event on Facebook. Please RSVP!

Sun. Nov. 9 REBBE - The author & New York Times bestselling book REBBE will be featured at the JCC Book Fair! Tickets

Mon. Nov. 10 Mommy & Me - a time to sing, play and learn with your baby! TDS is hosting an open to the public, six week session, for ages 4 months to 2 years, by Eileen Kaplan. Contact [email protected] to register and for more information. More...

Mazel Tov to Roy Croock upon his engagement to Jade Rozowsky in Israel! Mazel tov to his parents Alan & Chagit Croock and the whole Croock family! #onceourgabbaialwaysourgabbai

With sadness we inform you of the passing of Robert Lipstet. May we only share simchos.

Save the dates for our Chanukah events!

Tues. Dec. 16 - Chanukah on Fire! Inaugural Post Oak Menorah Lighting
Sun. Dec. 21 - Chanukah YJP Boat Party - Tickets on sale, selling fast!www.chabaduptown.org/cruise

Shabbos Parshas Lech Lecha

Friday, October 31
Services at 6:30 pm
Candle Lighting at 6:18 pm

Shabbos, November 1
PrePrayer Kabbala Study at 9 am
Services at 10 am
Followed by Shabbos Kiddush
Mincha at 6:20 pm
Maariv, Havdalla & Shabbos Ends at 7:11 pm
Living Torah

Sunday, November 2
Shacharis at 8:30 am
BLT = Bagels, lox & tefillin at 9 am!

Have a good Shabbos!

Rabbi Chaim & Chanie

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & YouTube @youngchabad!

#ShabbosProject Shabbat! DON'T MISS!

Friday, October 24, 2014 - 12:20 AM

What an amazing-heart throbbing-fantastic Simchas Torah! Thanks to all of you for making it such an amazing community and celebration!

Tomorrow morning, Friday, is Rosh Chodesh, day 1! Join us for the monthly 6:45 am Rosh Chodesh minyan followed by breakfast sponsored by the Melnik family!

Photo Credit: Debra Gross

This Shabbos, we join the international #ShabbosProject! Over 600 women joined tonight at the ERJCC to bake challah to kick off the weekend! Be sure to look for the media coverage on the JHV,Houston Chronicle & Houston TV Channels 2, 13 & 39

To that end, at Chabad of Uptown this week, we will have a special weekend with an amazing guest speaker, Sara Esther Cripse of Pennsylvania. You do not want to miss it! Click here for the complete Shabbos and topic schedule.

SHABBATON: Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Mar-Cheshvan, Parshas Noach
All services and programs at Chabad, 4311 Bettis - besides for Shabbos dinner
at The Hampton Inn 4500 Post Oak Parkway

Friday, October 24
Services at 6:30 pm
Candle Lighting at 6:24 pm
Shabbos Dinner at Hampton Inn at 7:45 pm
TOPIC: Mind Control; The Power of Our Thought, Speech and Action

Shabbos, October 25
Preprayer Study at 9 am
Services at 10 am
Followed by Shabbos Rosh Chodesh Kiddush & Farbrengen
TOPIC: Did You Hear What I Meant to Say?
Mincha at 6:25 pm
Maariv, Havdalla & Shabbos Ends at 7:17 pm
Living Torah
Women's Dessert & Discussion at 8:30 pm
TOPIC: Jewish Women; More Precious than Pearls?

Have a good Shabbos!

Rabbi Chaim & Chanie

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & YouTube @youngchabad!

☺ Simchas Torah & ✎ Guest Speaker

Tuesday, October 14, 2014 - 4:55 PM

Shemini Atzeres & Simchas Torah is here! Complete schedule at www.chabaduptown.org/joy

WATCH THE 2 MIN. SIMCHAT TORAH VIDEO SHORT!

Highlights:

Wed. night, Shemini Atzeret Hakafot-warmup at 6:30 pm
Thurs. morning, Service 10 am, Geshem & Yizkor at 12:15 pm
Thurs. night, Grand Simchat Torah Hakafot at 7:30 pm (kids hakafa at aprox. 8:30 pm)
Fri. Torah completion and restart & Day Hakafot 10:00 am

Next Shabbos, weekend of Oct. 24-25, in conjunction with The Shabbos Project, join us for a weekend of inspiration with guest speaker, Sara Esther Matz Crispe, Shabbos dinner at the Hampton ($25 | $18 | $180), signature CKids program for the kids and special hotel room rates ($105 per night) so you can keep Shabbos in it's entirety!

Please RSVP for dinner at www.chabaduptown.org/shabbatdinner
Reserve sleeping rooms at hotel for $105 at www.houstongalleria.hamptoninn.com or call 1-800-426-7866 using group code CHA

Sara Esther Crispe is the Co-Director of Interinclusion.org, a multi-layered educational non-profit celebrating the convergence between contemporary arts and sciences and timeless Jewish wisdom.

She has traveled the world as a sought out motivational speaker and educator, presenting on interpersonal relationships and the Kabbalistic approach to self-development. Sara Esther was also the creator of TheJewishWoman.org where she served as its editor for eight years and has worked with Part2Pictures as a consultant on Judaism for shows on the Oprah Winfrey Network and HARPO Productions.

A prolific writer, her pieces can be found, amongst other places, on The Huffington Post, Times of Israel and Chabad.org. She is currently working on a book about parenthood titled, I Used to be the Perfect Mother, Then I Had Kids. She lives with her husband, Rabbi Asher Crispe, and four children in Merion Station, PA.

Live! At Chabad of Uptown...
Complete Schedule | On Facebook

Funky Flags - Holy Torahs - Rockin' Hakafot
Awesome Israeli Buffet - Deluxe Kiddushes

Party all night (and day) at Chabad of Uptown!
4311 Bettis Drive, Houston, TX 77027 USA

Complete Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah Schedule

Wed., Oct. 15 - Shemini Atzeret
Make Eruv Tavshilin
- 6:34 pm Light Holiday Candles
- 6:35 pm Mincha & Evening Services Hakafot-celebratory dancing
This one is only the warm up - to connect with Israel! (See main hakafot below).

Thurs., Oct. 16 -
Shemini Atzeret & Simchat Torah
- 10:00 am Morning Services
- 12:15 pm Yizkor
- Teffilas Geshem
- Say Goodbye to Sukkah
- 6:35 pm Mincha & Evening Services Grand Hakafot-celebratory dancing - This one is the real deal!
- After 7:27 pm Light Candles
Kids Hakafa at approx. 8:30 pm
Facebook Event >

Fri., Oct. 17 -Simchat Torah
- 10:00 am Morning Services
Hakafot-celebratory dancing
Mincha after Hakafot
- 6:30 pm Shabbat Evening Services
- 6:32 pm Light Shabbat Candles

Sat., Oct. 18 -Shabbat Bereishit
- 10:00 am Morning Services
- 6:30 pm Mincha
- 7:24 pm Maariv, Havdalla and Shabbat Ends
- Living Torah Video

♫ #SukkahFest meets #OctoberFest ♪

Wednesday, October 8, 2014 - 1:57 PM

We dedicate this email to the memory of our son Mendel's good friend,
Menachem Mendel, a"h, ben - for many long and healthy years - Daniel, shiyichye, Cotlar.
Grandson of our pediatrician, Dr. David & Bayla Cotlar

The days of awe, prayer, solemnity and fasting are behind us, the days of joy, festivities and lulav shaking are ahead. With at least as much effort we have placed on the 10 days of awe, we must place effort on the 9 days of joy! We look forward towards your helping us do just that by joining us in our Sukkah, the largest Sukkah in Uptown and at Simchas Torah next week, !

We are humbled by our Yom Kippur mailbag:

The most meaningful service. We are so lucky to have you as our Rabbi. - LL
Great service Chaim Lazaroff! I agree with her^^^ - KC
You, [Chazzan] Danny Gavin and Chanie Galperin Lazaroff...inspire me daily. Thank you for beautiful service. The Hampton was a great location too. - BK
There is something about starving one day and your appreciation of food the following day. Is that a doggy bag of Yom Kippur? Chaim Lazaroff Chanie Galperin Lazaroff - TK
Great news about the Yom Kippur turnout. You have an important mission and you and [Chanie] are enacting it every day - SW

In case you missed it, FOX26 had a feature on Yom Kippur, with my dear friend and colleague, Rabbi Dovid Goldstein - Click.

Don't forget - Simchat Torah is next week! The main Hakafot are on Thursday night and Friday morning. You can see the complete schedule at www.chabaduptown.org/joy

Sukkos Schedule with Chabad of Uptown

Wed., Oct. 8
Make Eruv Tavshilin
- 6:42 pm Light Holiday Candles
- 6:45 pm Mincha & Evening Services
- 7:45 pm Sukkot Holiday Community Dinner - Under the Stars! - RSVP


Thurs., Oct. 9
- 10:00 am Morning Services
- Lulav & Etrog Available for public use
- 6:45 pm Mincha & Evening Services (Maariv)
- After 7:34 pm Light Holiday Candles

Fri., Oct. 10
- 10:00 am Morning Services
- Lulav & Etrog available for public use
- 6:40 pm Light Shabbat Candles
- 6:40 pm Evening Services
- 7:45 pm Burgers & Beer in the Sukkah with Moishe House

SHABBAT CHOL HAMOED
Sat. Oct. 11
- 10:00 am Morning Services
- No Lulav
- 6:40 pm Mincha
- 7:32 pm Maariv, Havdalla (In Sukkah) and Shabbat Ends
    - Living Torah Video

Chol Hamoed - No Tefillin.
You are welcome to join Rabbi Chaim at Chabad Lubavitch Center, 10900 Fondren Road at 8 am for the customary Chol Hamoed Sukkos Prayers

Pre-game Yom Kippur Mitzvah: #tefillinformendel

Thursday, October 2, 2014 - 8:26 PM

Dear Friends,

In the final hours of the Ten Days of Teshuvah, in preparation for Yom Kippur, we wish you and yours an easy fast, meaningful Yom Kippur and a Gmar Chasima Tova - may you be sealed for a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Complete Yom Kippur service & CKids children's' program schedule below and online. Final call to register for Yom Kippur services, yizkor book and break fast!
- Register for FREE services(mobile friendly): http://bit.ly/ykuptown
- Add name to Yizkor Book: http://chabaduptown.org/yizkor
- Reserve seat and / or RSVP for Break Fast: http://chabaduptown.org/2283117
Although our minds are on Yom Kippur, it is not too early to think about Sukkot and to RSVP for the Sukkot Dinner Under the Stars in our huge Sukkah at Chabad of Uptown on the first night, Wed. Oct. 8. Celebrate this beautiful Holiday in style, along with family and friends! Services begins at 6:45 pm, and dinner at 7:45 pm will include a delicious full-course meal, lively songs, and fun... It all takes place at the largest Sukkah in Uptown!! Complete Sukkot & Simchat Torah schedule: www.chabaduptown.org/joy
Friday night of Sukkot, Moishe House joins us for Burgers & Beer in the Sukkah for young professionals!
NOTE: Tuesday Parsha classes will stay on schedule at noon, the Wednesday YP classes and Thursday Tanya classes will be on hold for two weeks until after Simchas Torah.

Beneath the Yom Kippur schedule below is an urgent family request from dear friends of ours, Daniel and Eta Cotlar. Just over 3 weeks ago, our son Mendel joined us and had the privilege to celebrate the Bar Mitzvah of their dear son Mendel and family.

Mendel suffers from Glycogen Storage Disease #GSD and has been in a coma since Rosh Hashanah and is in need of your prayers!

As you can read below the Cotlar family is urging Men over the age of 13 to put on Tefillin in merit of their son Mendel. Tefillin How To Guidehttp://www.chabaduptown.org/102436

Please consider this special mitzvah and share the mitzvah and spread the word with the hashtag#TefillinForMendel

May we hear very good news soon!

Rabbi Chaim & Chanie

Yom Kippur Schedule @ The Hampton - Galleria
4500 Post Oak Pkwy

Friday, Oct. 3
Fast Begins & Light candles at: 6:48 pm
Kol Nidrei: 6:45 pm
Childrens' Program: 6:45-7:45 pm

Shabbos, Oct. 4
Morning Services: 9:30 am
Childrens' Program: 11 am - 1:30 pm
- Yizkor: approx. 12:30 pm - Include names in the Yizkor Book
Mincha Service: 5:15 pm
Neilah Service: 6:30 pm
Havdalla & Fast Ends: 7:40 pm
Break Fast Light Buffet - RSVP

Sukkot & Simchat Torah Schedule >

Hello all, thank you so much for all the enthusiasm and mitzvos being performed for the merit of a speedy recovery for our son Mendel.

HaShem will hear the prayers and see our good deeds. We EXPECT a miracle and are eagerly watching for the indications that things are improving. That said, it doesn't hurt to push things along.

So now we need to ask for an additional effort!

Throughout Jewish tradition many sages and sources (especially the Lubavitcher Rebbe) emphasize the power of doing mitzvos connected with the problem one is experiencing. Tefillin, placed on the head, is closely connected with Mendel's current situation as well as his recent Bar Mitzvah.

We are asking that a Tefillin Mitzvah Campaign be made in Mendel’s honor, today Thursday Oct. 2nd. For men, please put on Tefillin yourself and please ask another man who would not otherwise do so and say the Shema! For women, please ask men and boys over age 13 to participate in this effort.

mendel 2.jpg It only takes 5 minutes, and you're done. It’s just one day, please help us make this happen. The merit is tremendous.

Asking someone else to don Tefillin on their hand and head say some prayers doesn't come naturally. I know it's a lot for us to ask of you. But can you imagine the energy that will come from hundreds or thousands of people connecting to their Judaism? To make this easier to do, perhaps just say that "this is for Mendel".

May we suggest bringing your Tefillin to work, to the subway, the mall. Perhaps go through your contacts to find a friend you should have coffee with anyway. Etc.

If you'd like, share your Tefillin successes at

http://tinyurl.com/tefilinformendel
https://www.facebook.com/MendelCotlar
https://twitter.com/MendelCotlar #TefillinForMendel

Thank you. May we have miracles to report soon.
May you be sealed in the Book of Life for a good and Sweet New Year!

Daniel and Eta Cotlar

Tefillin How To Guide http://www.chabaduptown.org/102436