Updates

Wed-Thurs., July 2-10

We hope you or someone you know can join Chanie and I for the this special trip of giving back to Israel!

CYP Encounter Israel - Giving Back as a Community
AS LOW AS $599 INCLUDING FLIGHT! - Ages 18-50

REGISTRATION CLOSES THIS THURSDAY!
www.yjphouston.org/israeltrip

Now, more than ever, Israel needs us. This CYP Encounter Israel trip is more than just an experience—it’s a mission. Join others from around the world for a unique opportunity to support Israeli communities and individuals deeply impacted by the war. This trip, in partnership with Birthright’s volunteer initiative, is designed to bolster and uplift those in need through hands-on service, connection, and solidarity. While giving back, you’ll also immerse yourself in Israel’s vibrant culture, explore its rich history, and experience an unforgettable Shabbat in Jerusalem.

P.S. If you can't go, but would like to sponsor someone else to go - you can give to "Israel Trip" here www.chabaduptown.org/donate

The Seders may be behind us, but Pesach does not end with the Seders. After the first two days of the holiday, there are four “intermediate” days, followed by two more days of holiday, with the seventh day of Pesach tonight commemorating the day that the Jewish people miraculously crossed the Red Sea, a week after escaping Egypt.

Let's close out the holiday together for the Yom Tov of the last days of Pesach. Holidays are special when celebrated with friends and family. Please see the schedule below and let us know when you will join us.

The highlights: We will host holiday dinners and luncheons, late night Torah learning (tonight), yizkor (Sunday midday) and Moshiach Seudah (Sunday 5:30 pm).

The final day of Pesach celebrates the future redemption with the coming of Moshiach. To highlight this, there is a custom to have a special “Moshiach’s Meal” in the final hours of the day, where we eat matzah, drink four more cups of wine, and pray that indeed this be the last time we celebrate the holiday in exile.

We pray that the declaration at the end of the Seder be more than just words, but that next year—and even sooner—we will actually be in Jerusalem with Moshiach!

Good Shabbos and Good Yom Tov!

Rabbi Chaim & Chanie Lazaroff

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS:

• Sunday, April 20 - Moshiach Seudah - Following the custom of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chassidism, Passover concludes with a "Feast of Moshiach."
• Thursdays, May 1-22 at 10:30am - Mommy and Me with Chanale Cohen - Nurturing and engaging program designed for mothers and babies (newborn to 2 years) to learn, play, and connect in a warm Jewish environment. - www.chabaduptown.org/mommy
• Tuesday, May 6th - Lunch 'N Learn: "Counting With Purpose: A mystical journey through the Omer count" with Rabbi Yosef Cohen. RSVP at Chabaduptown.org/lunch

UPCOMING YJP EVENTS:

• Wed-Sun., May 7-11 - CYP Encounter Guatemala - Join us for an adventurous weekend of nature, soulfulness, and connection with fellow young Jewish professionals. www.chabadyoung.com/gua 
• Wed.-Thurs., July 2-10 - 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

MEAL OF MOSHIACH
Sunday, April 20, 5:30 pm (starting with Mincha)

Just when you thought you had seen it all! This day, the final day of Pesach, emphasizes an even higher Freedom! It is dedicated to our imminent and final redemption.

Following the custom of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chassidism, Pesach concludes with a "Feast of Moshiach." This festive meal complete with Matzah and, yes, four cups of wine, begins before sunset. It is the perfect way to spiritually take leave of Pesach and open our consciousness to the coming redemption.

Free of Charge, RSVP Appreciated.

SHABBOS PESACH LAST DAYS PESACH FINAL DAYS
FRIDAY, APRIL 18 | PESACH DAY
Evening Service    7:30 pm
Candle Lighting    7:33 pm
Omer Count, At Night 6     
Shabbat & Holiday Dinner - RSVP     
 
SATURDAY, APRIL 19 | PESACH DAY 7
Late Night Torah Study (AKA Fri. night) 12:00 am
Morning Service    10:00 am
Lunch Kiddush After Service- RSVP     
Evening Service    7:30 pm
Omer Count, at night 7     
Light Candles AFTER    8:28 pm
Shabbat & Holiday Dinner - RSVP     
 
SUNDAY, APRIL 20 | PESACH DAY 8
Morning Service    10:00 am
Yizkor Memorial Service    11:30 am
Lunch Kiddush After Service- RSVP     
Mincha Service    5:30 pm
Moshiach Meal    6:00 pm
Evening Service    8:30 pm
Omer Count, at night 8     
Havdalla & Holiday Ends    8:29 pm

Have a happy and Kosher Pesach! We look forward to seeing you over Yom Tov! 
Be aware that Shacharis on Shabbos morning will be held earlier than usual, 7:30 AM at Chabad of Uptown to be able to make Lechem Mishneh hamotzi on bread before the latest time to eat chametz in Houston at 11:13 am. 

The Hebrew name for Egypt, “Mitzrayim,” is etymologically linked to the word “meitzarim,” meaning boundaries or limitations. The Exodus from Egypt, which we commemorate every year during Passover, represents our liberation from constraints both physical and spiritual.

Pesach is a time to relive the Exodus, to break free from personal limitations, and to grow closer to Hashem. As we gather around the Seder table, let us embrace the unique structure of this year’s holiday as an opportunity to renew our commitment to our spiritual journey.​

This year, Pesach begins on Saturday night, immediately following Shabbos, leading into a three-day holiday—a sequence that is both rare and significant. Preparing for this extended holiday requires thoughtful planning. All cooking and preparations must be completed before candle-lighting on Friday, as cooking is prohibited on Shabbos. While cooking is permitted once Shabbos ends, from a pre-existing flame, organizing meals in advance can help minimize effort and allow us to focus on the spiritual aspects of the holiday. ​

As always, we focus not just on the technicalities, but on the meaning behind them: freedom, faith, and the power of redemption. May this Passover bring true liberation, with the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days!

Shabbat shalom and chag sameach!

Rabbi Chaim & Chanie Lazaroff

Pesach is HERE, April 10-20! 
Check out our Pesach mini-site with everything you need!  www.chabaduptown.org/pesach2025

• This morning Rivky joined Rabbi Chaim to explain the homemade Resin Seder plate and traditions with Fox26Houston morning news anchors Heather Sullivan & DaLaun Dillard - WATCH
• To help guide the Chabad community during this unique schedule of Shabbos erev Pesach (the next time is in the year 2045!), Rabbi Chaim put together this step by step document. Take from it whatever is most meaningful / relevant to you, print it for reference on the holiday.
• Order handmade Shmurah matzah www.chabaduptown.org/ordermatzah
• RSVP for the Seder www.chabaduptown.org/sederrsvp
• Complete Pesach candle lighting and service schedule www.chabaduptown.org/pesachschedule

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS:

• Sat., & Sun. April 12-13 - Uptown Pesach Seders - A Refreshingly Traditional Seder with Uptown Flare! www.chabaduptown.org/seder
• Sunday, April 20 - Moshiach Seudah - Following the custom of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chassidism, Passover concludes with a "Feast of Moshiach."
• Thursdays, May 1-22 at 10:30am - Mommy and Me with Chanale Cohen - Nurturing and engaging program designed for mothers and babies (newborn to 2 years) to learn, play, and connect in a warm Jewish environment. - www.chabaduptown.org/mommy
• Tuesday, May 6th - Lunch 'N Learn: "Counting With Purpose: A mystical journey through the Omer count" with Rabbi Yosef Cohen. RSVP at Chabaduptown.org/lunch

UPCOMING YJP EVENTS:

• Wed-Sun., May 7-11 - CYP Encounter Guatemala - Join us for an adventurous weekend of nature, soulfulness, and connection with fellow young Jewish professionals. www.chabadyoung.com/gua 
• Wed.-Thurs., July 2-10 - 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

Mazel tov to Michael & Diana (Polyak) Basist on the birth of a baby girl! 
We will will name the baby iyh tomorrow morning - at the super early 7:30 am Shabbos Shacharis. Please confirm you are coming so we can name the baby

We send our condolences to Yair & Marielle (Cohen) Levy on the passing his father. Baruch Dayan Haemes

SHABBOS HAGADOL PARSHAS TZAV, PESACH FIRST DAYS 
Friday, April 11 | Erev Shabbos Hagadol
Burn Chametz before    12:18 pm
Light Shabbos Candles    7:29 pm
Shabbos Evening Services    7:30 pm
Shabbos Dinner - RSVP
 
Saturday, April 12 | Shabbos Hagadol & Erev Pesach
Shacharis    7:30 am
Finish Eating Chametz by    11:13 am
Nullify Chometz by    12:17 pm
Evening Service    7:30 pm
Candle Lighting After    8:24 pm
First Uptown Seder - RSVP     
 
Sunday, April 13 | Pesach Day 1
Morning Service    10:00 am
Prayer for Dew     
Lunch Kiddush After Service - RSVP     
Evening Service    7:30 pm
Light Candles AFTER    8:31 pm
Count the Omer, Night 1     
Second Uptown Seder - RSVP     
 
Monday, April 14 | Pesach Day 2
Morning Service    10:00 am
Lunch Kiddush After Service- RSVP     
Evening Service    7:30 pm
Maariv, Havdalla & Holiday Ends    8:25 pm
Omer Count, At Night 2     
 
Tuesday, April 15-18 | Pesach Day 3-6
Morning Service    8:00 am
Omer Count, At Night 3-6     

Don't forget to sell your chametz! www.chabaduptown.org/chametz

Do you have hand made Shmurah Matzah for your seder table? If not, we have one for you! Please reply to this email to let us know when you would like to pick it up (while supplies last...)

This week, we begin reading the book of Vayikra, which opens with the word “Vayikra—And He called.” Commentators note the word’s affectionate tone, emphasizing Hashem’s love for Moshe Rabbeinu and the significance of every teaching in the Torah. The essence of Vayikra is holiness: how to sanctify our lives through sacrifices and service. These lessons remind us that Hashem calls upon each of us to uplift the mundane into the sacred.

This week, Wednesday April 9, will also the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s birthday, on 11 Nissan. This date is marked by Education and Sharing Day in the USA, in Texas and in states and municipalities around the world. Rabbi Chaim joined a delegation of Chabad rabbis from across Texas that met at the Capitol in Austin March 4 for the governor, Texas State House and Texas State Senate to declare Education and Sharing Day in Texas to be celebrated this year on April 9. Read more about it on the JHV and Anash.org, The tradition for such a day began with President Jimmy Carter in 1978 and has continued under every U.S. president since Jimmy Carter in 1978.

The Rebbe dedicated his life to calling on every individual to recognize their unique mission and potential. Central to his vision was education—not just as the transfer of knowledge, but as the cultivation of character and holiness. He saw education as the key to a society built on morality and goodness, a society where children are guided to transform their world into a dwelling place for G-d.

Just as Hashem called Moshe Rabbeinu with love and purpose, we are called to educate our children with the same love, instilling in them a sense of divine mission. The Rebbe taught that every child is a “mini-sanctuary,” whose potential can bring immense light to the world.

May we answer Hashem’s call with dedication and joy, ensuring that every act of education and kindness transforms our world into a place of holiness and peace, to be actualized with the coming of Moshiach and the Ultimate Redemption!

Rabbi Chaim & Chanie Lazaroff

THE COHEN CORNER
In the tapestry of life, every thread, however small, contributes to the beauty of the whole.

The book of Vayikra focuses primarily on the Jewish people's sacrifices and their service of Hashem in His home. Each sacrifice involved four key elements. The Kohen and the individual offering the sacrifice together represented humanity. The animal kingdom was represented by the meat, while oil, wine, and flour symbolized the vegetative world. Salt, added to every sacrifice, represented the mineral kingdom. The act of the sacrifice reflected a deeper, internal service, where the individual expressed a desire to connect with Hashem through every fiber of their being and through every element of creation.

In a similar way, our tables serve as our personal altars. By utilizing the energy gained from the food we've consumed to fulfill Hashem's commandments, we elevate every ingredient included. For this reason, it is customary for Challah, matzah, and breads to be dipped in salt before eating them, incorporating even the inanimate in service of Hashem. 

Have a fantastic Shabbos! 

Rabbi Yosef, Chanale and Mushka Cohen

Pesach is coming, April 10-20! Our Pesach website and Seder RSVP is now open!
Yes, Pesach is coming! Check out our Pesach mini-site with everything you need, including selling your chametz, buying hand-made round Shmurah Matzah for your seder table, RSVP for our seder table, our Pesach schedule and all kinds of Pesach readings and resources!  www.chabaduptown.org/pesach2025

• Sell your chametz now! www.chabaduptown.org/chametz
• Order handmade Shmurah matzah www.chabaduptown.org/ordermatzah
• RSVP for the Seder www.chabaduptown.org/sederrsvp
• Complete Pesach candle lighting and service schedule www.chabaduptown.org/pesachschedule

UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS:

• Sat., & Sun. April 12-13 - Uptown Pesach Seders - A Refreshingly Traditional Seder with Uptown Flare! www.chabaduptown.org/seder
• Sunday, April 20 - Moshiach Seudah - Following the custom of the Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chassidism, Passover concludes with a "Feast of Moshiach."
• Thursdays, May 1-22 at 10:30am - Mommy and Me with Chanale Cohen - Nurturing and engaging program designed for mothers and babies (newborn to 2 years) to learn, play, and connect in a warm Jewish environment. - www.chabaduptown.org/mommy
• Tuesday, May 6th - Lunch 'N Learn: "Counting With Purpose: A mystical journey through the Omer count" with Rabbi Yosef Cohen. RSVP at Chabaduptown.org/lunch

UPCOMING YJP EVENTS:

• Friday, April 4, 7:30 pm - Shabbat Italiano - April First Fridays - Join Young Jewish Professionals for an Italian Shabbat Dinner at YJP Houston - where spirits run high! www.yjphouston.org/italy
• Wed-Sun., May 7-11 - CYP Encounter Guatemala - Join us for an adventurous weekend of nature, soulfulness, and connection with fellow young Jewish professionals. www.chabadyoung.com/gua 
• Wed.-Thurs., July 2-10 - 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

THIS WEEK'S CLASSES:

• Shabbos, April 5, 9:00 am - Chassidus - Torah Or with Rabbi Chaim Lazaroff
• Monday, April 7, 8 pm - Hebrew Language: The Tanya with Rabbi Menny Raichik
• Wednesday, April 9, 8:00 pm - YJP Dinner, Class & Social  

SHABBOS PARSHAS VAYIKRA

FRIDAY, APRIL 4, NISSAN 5
7:24 Shabbos Candle Lighting & Mincha
7:30 Kabbalat Shabbat
8:30 pm RSVP for Shabbat Dinner  www.chabaduptown.org/shabbatdinner

SHABBOS, APRIL 5, NISSAN 6
9:00 am Chassidus
10:00 am Morning Services
Shabbos Lunch Kiddush & Farbrengen
7:20 pm Mincha
Torah Study - Preparing for Pesach
8:19 pm Maariv, Havdalla and Shabbat Ends
Living Torah Video Magazine