Updates

Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Chassidic movement, taught that the people we meet in life are like mirrors, they reflect back to us something about ourselves. When we get irritated or judgmental toward someone else, it’s G-d’s way of nudging us to look inward. Maybe the thing that bothers us in them is something we need to work on in ourselves.

We see this idea in the story of Noah. After the flood, Noah experienced a moment of weakness. His sons responded very differently. Cham mocked him and exposed his shame, while Shem and Yaphet quietly covered him, preserving his dignity. Their reaction wasn’t just about respect, it showed that they chose compassion over criticism.

That’s a powerful lesson for us today. We live in a world where judgment comes easily. Social media, politics, and even family conversations can quickly turn harsh. But before we roll our eyes or write someone off, we should pause and ask, “What is this moment teaching me about myself?”

Instead of criticizing, try getting curious. What’s behind this person’s view or behavior? What might they be afraid of or hoping for? We don’t have to agree, but we can listen, respect, and look for the shared humanity underneath.

Like Shem and Yaphet, we can choose to “cover” rather than expose; to protect dignity, build understanding, and bring more kindness into the world. That’s how real unity begins.

Shabbat shalom,

Rabbi Chaim and Chanie Lazaroff

THE COHEN CORNER
When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.

This week’s parsha tells of the Flood and Noach’s Ark, a story that, beyond its literal meaning, mirrors the waves of pressure that so often flood our own lives. Chassidic teachings explain that the waters of the Flood represent the “waters of worry” that threaten to drown us,  especially the constant strain of earning a living and meeting life’s material demands. Yet, just as the floodwaters lifted the ark above the earth, our worldly challenges can also elevate us when we face them with faith and perspective. The Hebrew word teivah means both “ark” and “word,” reminding us that our refuge lies in the “words” of Torah and prayer. What seems like the chaos of daily survival can actually become a current that carries us closer to Hashem.

Practically, this means learning to see our financial and emotional pressures not as punishments but as opportunities for spiritual growth. When the bills pile up, or when you find yourself worrying over a shrinking bank balance, pause and shift from panic to gratitude. Thank Hashem that the expense is for something joyous. Then take a small, grounded action: give a bit of tzedakah, recite a short prayer before making a payment, or take a mindful breath before opening another bill. These simple acts turn turbulent waters into gentle waves, transforming life’s floods into instruments of calm and blessing.

Have a remarkable Shabbos!

Rabbi Yosef, Chanale & Mushka Cohen

IN THE NEWS: JHV, Thu, Oct 23, 2025 -  ‘Sukkah Night Live’ brings Jewish young professionals together for laughter, connection - Houston’s Jewish young professionals were treated to an unforgettable “Sukkah Night Live” on Oct. 11. The event was a vibrant collaboration among Olami Houston, YAD (Jewish Federation of Greater Houston’s Minnette and Jerome Robinson Young Adult Division) and YJP Houston. The evening, graciously hosted at Chabad of Uptown, drew an energetic crowd of approximately 150 participants. More,,,

UPCOMING CLASSES & EVENTS:

• Shabbos, Oct. 25, 9:00 am - Likkutei Torah - Kabbala of the Parsha - Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi's Masterworks on the weekly Parsha.
• Monday,.Oct. 27 - Registration for Encounter Crown Heights opens TODAY! Don’t miss the biggest international weekend for Jewish young professionals. Sign up during opening week and save $200! While you are at it, complete a CYP Academy course and go for only $99! www.cypshabbat.nyc
• Monday, Oct. 27, 8:00 pm - שיעור שבועי בספר התניא עם הרב מני לע"נ יונה דוד ע"ה בן יפה תחי' פרנגר
• Monday, Oct., 27, 8 pm Met@Chabad Virtual Speeddating www.metatchabad.com/speeddating
• Wednesday, Oct 29, 8:00 pm - YJP Dinner, Class & Social - Weekly Contemporary Jewish Classes for Young Professionals and FREE DINNER!
• Thursday, Oct. 30, 8:00 pm - The Heart of Prayer - In depth look at the prayer book, picking apart the prayer structure and meaning exploring the mechanics and mysticism that comprise Jewish prayer.
• 6 Tuesdays, Nov 4-Dec. 9, 7:30-9 pm - JLI Course: The Kabbalah of Meaning - Jewish Wisdom for Finding the Purpose that Connects all Parts of Life - Register
• 4 Wednesdays, November 5 – 26, 7:30–9:00 pm - CYP Academy: Decoding the Talmud - Inside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book That Defines Judaism. Complete the course and receive a $200 voucher to any upcoming CYP trip! www.yjphouston.org/talmudacademy
• Friday, Nov. 7, 6:30 pm Thanksgiving Shabbat - Nov. First Fridays - Come celebrate a fall themed Shabbat with other Young Jewish Professionals over Shabbat Dinner & Cocktails www.yjphouston.org/fall
• Nov. 7-9, Dallas CYP Texas Encounter - Largest First Fridays in Texas! Young Jewish Professionals from across Texas unite for a Shabbat weekend of inspiration, connection, and community. www.chabadyoung.com/tx
• Thurs. Nov. 20, 12 pm - Lunch N' Learn: Kabbalah of Kosher - A peek behind the meaning and purpose of Kosher Dietary Laws www.chabaduptown.org/lunch
• Mon.-Wed., Dec 22-31- CYP Israel Volunteer Trip - Meaningful, memorable and amazing volunteering trip to Israel this summer, eligible ages 18-50 —and the price is insane - as low at $599! www.yjphouston.org/israeltrip
• Thurs.-Sun., Jan. 16-18 - Encounter Crown Heights Shabbaton - Join us as we head to NYC for the Encounter Crown Heights Shabbaton set to take place over MLK Weekend! A weekend like no other, a chance to connect with hundreds Jewish young professionals from around the world and experience an unforgettable weekend in Crown Heights. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity! www.cypshabbat.nyc

Mazel tov to Hon. Elad & Leor Shoshan on the birth of a baby girl!

SHABBOS PARSHAS NOACH

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, CHESHVAN 2
6:24 pm Shabbos Candle Lighting
6:30 pm Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat
RSVP for Shabbat Dinner www.chabaduptown.org/shabbatdinner

SHABBOS, OCTOBER 25, CHESHVAN 3
9:00 am Chassidus
10:00 am Services
Followed by Shabbos Kiddush sponsored in honor of the Bar Mitzvah of Noah Mart
6:25 pm Mincha
Torah Study
7:17 pm Maariv, Havdalla and Shabbos ends
Living Torah

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26, CHESHVAN 4
8:00 am Shacharis

MONDAY & THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27 & 30, CHESHVAN 5 & 8
6:45 am Shacharis

What an amazing week! Over 150 young professionals came together for Sukkah Night Live, celebrating Judaism with laughter, music, and pure joy. (See photos here)

That spirit flowed right into Simchas Torah, where the energy was electric and the dancing filled with heartfelt connection. Everyone held the Torah close, feeling its warmth and unity.

Now we open the Torah anew with Parshas Bereishis, a time for new beginnings. It is said in the name of the Tzemach Tzedek, the third Chabad Rebbe, that the way one conducts oneself on Shabbos Bereishis sets the tone for the entire year.

Let us take the inspiration of Simchas Torah and bring it into daily life. Do not just hold the Torah. Read it. Learn it. Live it. Speak it. Start with Hebrew. Experience the Hebrew Lab this Sunday with a sample class in reading and speaking Hebrew at www.chabaduptown.org/hebrew.

Let us begin the year uplifted in body, soul, and spirit.

Good Shabbos!

Rabbi Chaim and Chanie Lazaroff

THE COHEN CORNER
We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. 

In the first Torah portion, Bereishis, after Adam and Chava eat from the Tree of Knowledge, Hashem’s first question to humanity is not “Why did you do it?” but rather, “Where are you?” This question isn’t geographical, it’s existential. It invites self-awareness: Where are you in your life right now? Are you in alignment with your values, or are you hiding behind blame, shame, or habit? Unlike accusatory "why" questions that provoke defensiveness, this divine prompt is an opening for introspection and growth. Adam, unfortunately, responds by deflecting blame first to Chava, then to Hashem Himself, missing the opportunity to take ownership and begin repair.

This same choice faces us daily. When someone forgets something, lets us down, or behaves in a way we find annoying, our instinct is often to lash out with “why” questions: Why can’t you ever…? or Why are you like this? But the smarter move is to flip the lens inward and ask, Where am I right now? Am I reacting or responding properly? Owning or avoiding? That simple shift from accusation to awareness frees us to act with intention instead of habit. In any moment of tension or disconnection, Hahsem’s question echoes: “Where are you?” The answer we give, in attitude and action, determines not just who we are, but who we’re becoming.

Have a marvelous Shabbos!

Rabbi Yosef, Chanale & Mushka Cohen

UPCOMING CLASSES & EVENTS:

• Shabbos, Oct. 18, 9:30 am - Likkutei Torah - Kabbala of the Parsha - Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi's Masterworks on the weekly Parsha.
• Sunday, Oct. 19, 11 am - The Hebrew Lab - Conversational and Hebrew Reading Courses - Have an upcoming trip to Israel planned? Always wanted to speak Hebrew, but could not find the time? Want to read the prayers (more fluently) in Hebrew? Join the open house for free for a preview of two simultaneous courses! www.chabaduptown.org/hebrew
• Monday, Oct. 20, 8:00 pm - שיעור שבועי בספר התניא עם הרב מני לע"נ יונה דוד ע"ה בן יפה תחי' פרנגר
• Wednesday, Oct 22 & 29, 8:00 pm - YJP Dinner, Class & Social - Weekly Contemporary Jewish Classes for Young Professionals and FREE DINNER!
• Thursday, Oct. 23, 8:00 pm - The Heart of Prayer - In depth look at the prayer book, picking apart the prayer structure and meaning exploring the mechanics and mysticism that comprise Jewish prayer.
• 4 Wednesdays, November 5 – 26, 7:30–9:00 pm - CYP Academy: Decoding the Talmud - Inside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book That Defines Judaism. Complete the course and receive a $200 voucher to any upcoming CYP trip! www.yjphouston.org/talmudacademy
• Friday, Nov. 7, 6:30 pm Thanksgiving Shabbat - Nov. First Fridays - Come celebrate a fall themed Shabbat with other Young Jewish Professionals over Shabbat Dinner & Cocktails www.yjphouston.org/fall
• Nov. 7-9, Dallas CYP Texas Encounter - Young Jewish Professionals from across Texas unite for a Shabbat weekend of inspiration, connection, and community. www.chabadyoung.com/tx
• Mon.-Wed., Dec 22-31- CYP Israel Volunteer Trip - Meaningful, memorable and amazing volunteering trip to Israel this summer, eligible ages 18-50 —and the price is insane - as low at $599! www.yjphouston.org/israeltrip

SHABBOS MEVARCHIM MARCHESHVAN, PARSHAS BEREISHIS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, TISHREI 25
6:30 pm Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat
6:31 pm Shabbos Candle Lighting
RSVP for Shabbat Dinner www.chabaduptown.org/shabbatdinner
Sponsored by Marc & EllenAnn Sands marking the completion of Kaddish recitation in memory of his mother, Malka bas Shmuel, a"h

SHABBOS, OCTOBER 18, TISHREI 26
8:00 am Shabbos Mevarchim Tehillim
9:30 am Chassidus
10:00 am Services
Followed by Shabbos Kiddush & Farbrengen
6:30 pm Mincha
Torah Study
7:23 pm Maariv, Havdalla and Shabbos ends
Living Torah

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19, TISHREI 27
8:00 am Shacharis

MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, TISHREI 28
6:45 am Shacharis

WED-THURS, ROSH CHODESH MARCHESHVAN, OCTOBER 22-23, TISHREI 30-MARCHESHVAN 1
6:45 am Rosh Chodesh Shacharis 
Followed by monthly Rosh Chodesh breakfast sponsored by Uriel in memory of his sister

1972 – Houston, Texas
It was his first Simchas Torah on shlichus. The year before, he had stood among thousands in 770, swept up in the Rebbe’s dancing, feeling the floor shake under the joy of Yidden who had survived everything and were now rebuilding the world. But now he was in Texas.

Just a few months earlier, in May of that year, Chabad had opened its first branch in Texas, in Houston, under the direction of Rabbi and Mrs. Shimon Lazaroff, on the instruction of the Rebbe himself. The young couple had arrived full of idealism, carrying little more than their suitcases and the Rebbe’s bracha.

As Simchas Torah approached, Rabbi Lazaroff wanted to celebrate in true Chabad style, with dancing, song, and unrestrained joy. Since the main shul followed the Ashkenaz custom and did not make hakafos on Shemini Atzeres night, he asked the gabbai for permission to use the small chapel for hakafos according to Chabad custom. The gabbai readily agreed and even arranged access to the Torah.

When the evening came, however, things took an unexpected turn. Someone else in the community objected and decided to lock the aron, barring them from using the Torahs. “We came ready to dance with the Torah,” Rabbi Lazaroff recalled, “but there was no Torah to dance with.”

The school rabbi, wanting to help, said, “I have pasul Torahs in the adjacent school building. You can dance with those.” They brought out the Torahs, sang niggunim, said l’chaim, and began to dance. Curious onlookers soon gathered to see what was happening.

Then the confrontation came. The president of the shul stormed in and shouted, “You are a troublemaker! Who gave you permission?” “I got permission from the gabbai,” Rabbi Lazaroff replied.

“We will throw you out of the shul. We will throw you out of the city!” the president shouted.

Rabbi Lazaroff answered calmly and firmly, “No one will throw me out of the city. The Rebbe sent me here, and only the Rebbe can tell me to leave.”

That night the door to the shul closed, but a window to eternity opened.

He went home with his wife and their five-year-old son. Father and son danced around the dining room table while mother looked on. The father was crying, the mother was crying, and then the son began to cry too.

Yet in those tears, they found joy.
Because they were dancing with the Torah.

2023 – Houston, Texas
Fifty-one years later, the dancing has not stopped.

But this year, the tears were different.

It was October 7, Simchas Torah morning, when the news began to spread of the massacre in Israel. The same day the world once danced for the Torah, our people were again forced to cry for their brothers and sisters. In shuls across the world, the melodies of Atah Hareisa were choked by sobs. The flags waved, but hearts were heavy.

And yet, they danced.

Because that is the Jewish way.
To dance through the pain.
To turn tears into fuel.
To transform loss into light.

2025 – Houston, Texas
And this year, two years later, we dance with even more fervor for the hostages’ safe return and for our enemies to be crushed and disarmed while we dance.

Rabbi Lazaroff’s first Simchas Torah in Houston was a dance of loneliness and faith. Today, every hakafah in Texas, every Chabad House across the state, every child waving a flag, and every Torah held high is a continuation of that dance.

Then it was a toy Torah on a dining room table.
Now it is hundreds of Torahs circling full synagogues.
Then tears of hope.
Now tears of memory and resilience.

Simchas Torah is not just a dance. It is a declaration.
That no matter what the world throws at us, whether locked doors, hatred, or heartbreak, we will keep dancing with the Torah.
Because that is what the Rebbe’s soldiers do.
That is what Rabbi Shimon Lazaroff taught Texas to do.

​​​In Uptown of Houston, the s​​​​​​ukkos pride lit the week and kept growing. After a packed Sukkah of over 100 on the first night and the lulav parade in the Shul, we brought Sukkos to the seniors at Brookdale, with a sukkah and lulav to residents who could not easily come out. In that warm courtyard, brachos and songs turned a weekday afternoon into a sanctuary. Eyes and smiles brightened, hands trembled around the esrog, and the mitzvah carried comfort to hearts that needed it most.

The holiness we felt with our seniors spilled into a public plaza at The Galleria where people lined up to make a bracha on the lulav and esrog. Some came with intention, others were simply passing by and felt the gentle pull of a mitzvah. A shopping mall became a place of brocho, and each amen strengthened the next. One small act invited another until a corridor of light stretched across ordinary space.

At our Sukkos Lunch and Learn Rabbi Cohen explored Joy amid Judgment and made the case for the Sukkos celebration to a full table...

That momentum now carries us to Sukkah Night Live with Motzei Shabbat. Joy is not an extra. It is holy work. Laughter opens hearts and turns strangers into friends. With more than 120(!) already registered, we are preparing for an evening where comedy becomes community, where shared laughter becomes a doorway to deeper connection and Jewish pride.

From shared laughter we rise into Hoshana Rabbah on Monday. The tone shifts from celebration to pleading, yet it is one continuous movement. With aravos in hand and sincere tefillos on our lips, we ask that gevuros be sweetened, that judgment turn to kindness, and that the doors opened by joy open wider through prayer. The joy gives us strength to ask, and the asking gives our joy purpose.

Then Simchas Torah completes the journey. As we remember those we lost on Simchas Torah two years ago, we carry their memory at Yizkor on Tuesday morning with love and them turn our tears to joy on Tuesday night. We dance for them and with them, transforming pain into courage and sorrow into song. We take the brochos of Brookdale, the unity of the Galleria, the warmth of Sukkah Night Live, and the prayers of Hoshana Rabbah, and we dance them into our lives. We lift the Torah, and the Torah lifts us, turning all that momentum into a year filled with light, learning, kindness, and strength.

Good Shabbos and Chag Sameach!

Rabbi Chaim and Chanie Lazaroff

THE COHEN CORNER
The most lasting protection comes not from fortresses but from the values that hold us together.

The Sukkah is a delicate structure, open to the elements, yet it embodies one of the deepest lessons of Jewish life: true protection arises from faith and clarity of purpose, not from fragile walls or temporary solutions. It reminds us that the Jewish people’s survival depends on inner strength rooted in connection to the Divine and a steadfast commitment to our values. We are called to stand firm even when the world around us is uncertain or threatening. The Sukkah’s openness teaches that vulnerability paired with conviction is a remarkably powerful shield.

The coming of Moshiach will reveal a world transformed by this very strength. A world where justice and peace are not fleeting ideals, but living realities born from courage and unity. In that era, every person will recognize their place within a shared Divine plan, and peace will arise from the strength of resolve to fulfill it. Until that time, the path forward demands that we act with wisdom, embracing the responsibility to safeguard life and uphold justice. It is through such strength, quiet but unyielding, that we move closer to the ultimate redemption, a peace that endures without compromise.

Have a fantastic Shabbos!

Rabbi Yosef, Chanale & Mushka Cohen

Mazel tov to Michael & Jen Stoll on the birth of a baby boy!

We share our sincere condolences to Avi & Dalia Mesulaty and Chaim Ziv and Arielle Mesulaty on the passing their mother and grandmother, Fortuna bas Gemila, obm

We share our sincere condolences to Shira Mattuck on the passing of her grandmother Stella bas Yitzchok Baruch, obm

UPCOMING HOLIDAYS & HOLIDAYS:

• Fri. Oct. 10, 6:30 pm -  Community Sukkot Dinners Under the Stars
• Saturday, October 11, 9 pm - Sukkah Night Live w/ YJP, YAD & Olami - Join young professionals in their twenties and thirties inside the Sukkah for a Saturday night like no other, featuring ComedySportz live show, where the laughs are fresh the food is endless and the vibe is pure joy. www.yjphouston.org/snl
• Tues. Oct. 14 12:15 pm -  Shemini Atzeret Yizkor  with special Service to Honor the Memory of the Oct. 7 massacre
• Thurs Oct. 14, 6:30 pm -  Simchat Torah Uptown - Dance like a Star!
• 4 Wednesdays, November 5 – 26, 7:30–9:00 pm - CYP Academy: Decoding the Talmud - Inside the Story, Substance, and Significance of the Book That Defines Judaism. Complete the course and receive a $200 voucher to any upcoming CYP trip! www.yjphouston.org/talmudacademy
• Friday, Nov. 7, 6:30 pm Thanksgiving Shabbat - Nov. First Fridays - Come celebrate a fall themed Shabbat with other Young Jewish Professionals over Shabbat Dinner & Cocktails
• Nov. 7-9, Dallas CYP Texas Encounter - Young Jewish Professionals from across Texas unite for a Shabbat weekend of inspiration, connection, and community. www.chabadyoung.com/tx
• Mon.-Wed., Dec 22-31- CYP Israel Volunteer Trip - Meaningful, memorable and amazing volunteering trip to Israel this summer, eligible ages 18-50 —and the price is insane - as low at $599! www.yjphouston.org/israeltrip

SHABBOS CHOL HAMOED SUKKOS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, TISHREI 18
6:38 pm Shabbos Candle Lighting
6:35 pm Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat
RSVP for Community Sukkot Dinner Under the Stars www.chabaduptown.org/sukkotdinner

SHABBOS, 3RD DAY CHOL HAMOED, OCTOBER 11, TISHREI 19
9:00 am Chassidus
10:00 am Services
Followed by Shabbos Kiddush & Farbrengen sponsored by the Razinovsky family in memory of Katie's father, Dr. Abraham Sokol, obm
6:35 pm Mincha
Torah Study Laws of Hoshana Rabba & Simchas Torah
7:31 pm Maariv, Havdalla and Shabbos ends
YJP, YAD & Olami presents: Sukkah Night Live! w/ ComedySportz!
www.yjphouston.org/snl

SUNDAY, 4TH DAY CHOL HAMOED, OCTOBER 12, TISHREI 20
8:00 am Shacharis w/ Hallel & Torah Reading

MONDAY, HOSHANA RABBA, EREV SHEMINI ATZERES, OCTOBER 13, TISHREI 21
6:45 am Shacharis
6:30 pm Mincha & Evening Services Hakafot-celebratory dancing
6:35 pm Light Holiday Candles
This one is only the warm up - to connect with Israel! (See main hakafot below).

TUESDAY, SHEMINI ATZERES & SIMCHAS TORAH, OCTOBER 14, TISHREI 22
10:00 am Morning Services
12:15 pm Yizkor - 2 years since the Shemini Atzeret (Oct. 7) massacre
Teffilas Geshem
Say Goodbye to Sukkah
6:30 pm Mincha & Evening Services Grand Hakafot - celebratory dancing - This one is the real deal!
After 7:27 pm Light Holiday Candles

WEDNESDAY, SIMCHAS TORAH, OCTOBER 15, TISHREI 23
10:00 am Morning Services
Hakafot-celebratory dancing
Kiddush sponsored in part by the Kamman family
Mincha after Hakafot
7:26 pm Maariv, Havdallah (only wine, no spices or flame), and Holiday Ends

THURSDAY, ISRU CHAG, OCTOBER 16, TISHREI 24
6:45 am Shacharis