Updates

The theme that emerged from multiple classes this week: "The purpose of life is to always perfect, not to become perfect".

• Mendel came home from camp in upstate Michigan on high energy! One more kid home from a great summer...
• A nice group was trained this past Sunday on Mental Health First Aid. Every time I give one of these courses it solidifies for me how important this subject is, for us to break the stigma, look out for ourselves and for each other. If you missed it, you can still join one of the other ones happening in the Jewish community in the near future.
• JOURNEY OF RETURN! Yes, that's correct, we have a special Shabbos dinner & speaker planned this week, for you! Will you be joining us? Rabbi Green's story is a real treat, one not to be missed. Please RSVP at www.chabaduptown.org/lsd so we can plan accordingly.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• SEPT 6: Italian Shabbat -  YJP Houston First Fridays www.yjphouston.org/italy
• SEPT 18: Ladies Sweet Beginnings - An Evening of Torah Study and Culinary Delight for women, hosted by Aishel House in partnership with all Chabad Centers of Houston - www.chabadhouston.com/ladies
• SEPT 29: Rosh Hashana followed by the month of holidays! All the information has been posted to chabaduptown.org/services

PARSHA: Bread From Earth, Blessings From Heaven

Why on earth do we thank G‑d with a blessing about bread from the heavens? The bread we eat, bread grown from the ground with great investment of toil and time, is categorically different from the manna in the desert, which miraculously descended from the heavens each morning of their 40-year sojourn. more…

 Condolences to Nehemia Reichman on the passing of his wife, Batya Reichman. The funeral is in Israel. 

Shabbos Mevarchim Elul Parshas Eikev 

Friday, August 23
Mincha & Kabbalat Shabbat Services at 7:30 pm
Candle Lighting at 7:36 pm
RSVP for Shabbat Dinner

Rabbi Green will speak during Shabbat dinner, sharing is life journey:
The Butterfly Effect: How LSD, Tefillin, and The Rebbe Changed my Life

Chava Green will speak over dessert, with tips on love:
Relationships Redefined: Three Tools to Meet & Keep the One 

Shabbos, August 24
Shabbos Mevarchim Tehillim at 8:30 am
Services at 10 am
RSVP for Shabbos Mevarchim Lunch Kiddush
Mincha at 7:35 pm
Ethics of of Fathers, Chapter 4
Maariv, Havdalla & Shabbos Ends at 8:30 pm
Living Torah Video Program (15 min.)

Sunday, August 25- Shacharis at 8:30 am followed by the real BLT = Bagels, Lox & Tefillin
Monday, August 26 - Shacharis at 6:45 am
Thursday, August 29 - Shacharis at 6:45 am

Have a good Shabbos!

Rabbi Chaim & Chanie

Today is Tu'Bav a joyous day because of the many joyous events which occurred on this day (see "Today in Jewish History"), our sages regarded the 15th of Av to be one of the two most auspicious days on the Jewish calendar (the other being Yom Kippur--Talmud, Taanit 26b). Nevertheless, no special Av 15 observances or celebrations are ordained by Halachah or custom, other than the omission of the tachnun and similar portions from the daily prayers, as is the case with all festive dates.

​YJP Houston's White Party at Chabad of Uptown has made an annual tradition of sponsoring for Young Jewish Professionals a celebration of the day's significance of Love and Rebirth. Young Jewish Professionals in their 20’s and 30’s celebrated Tu B’Av for an evening of art, music, wine and sushi in summer white cocktail attire. Artists Maria Itkin, Debra Gross, Jessica Pfrenger and Roni Urunbaev featured their unique art collection and everyone had a chance participate in an interactive mural "Young Jews Love", allowing the opportunity to become the artist! Thank you to the artists, River Oaks Plant House for the beautiful flowers, Saba's Grill & Wok for the raffle gift, Deedee Hoffer for the desserts, and the committee.

Shabbos Nachamu is the Shabbos after the Ninth of Av called after the opening words of the Haftorah reading. This is the first of the series of readings known as "The Seven of Consolation" read in the seven weeks from the Ninth of Av to Rosh Hashanah.

Sofer to Check Tefillin & Mezuzos: Beginning on the 15th of Av one should increase one's study of Torah, since at this time of the year the nights begin to grow longer and "the night was created for study".  We also begin introspection for the upcoming month of Elul. It is an appropriate time to have one's tefillin and mezuzahs checked by an accredited scribe to ensure that they are in good condition and fit for use. Once again, as in the past 16 years, expert sofer Rabbi Faitel Lewin will be coming to Houston to check mezuzos and tefillin, from 12:00 pm, Tuesday, Av 19 (Aug 20), through 2:00 pm Thursday, Av 21 (Aug. 22) at Chabad Lubavitch Center, 10900 Fondren Road. You may leave your items as early as that Tuesday morning in the Judaic library, all in one bag, marked clearly with your name and cell number, first come, first served. According to halacha, mezuzos should be checked twice every seven years. Some have the custom to inspect mezuzos and tefillin annually.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• AUG 18: Mental Health First Aid teaches a 5-step action plan to offer initial help to people showing signs of a mental illness or in a crisis, and connects them with the appropriate professional, peer, social, or self help care. Anyone can take the 8-hour Mental Health First Aid course, but it is ideally designed for adults — teachers, coaches, leaders of faith communities, social workers, and other caring citizens. http://bit.ly/2Sip9Wc​​​​​​​ 
• ​AUG 23: "LSD & Tefillin Changed my Life" Entire Community welcome to join us for Shabbat dinner, preparing for Elul with Scholars in Residence Rabbi Aharon & Chava Green.  Rabbi Green will speak during Shabbat dinner, sharing is life journey: The Butterfly Effect: How LSD, Tefillin, and The Rebbe Changed my Life. Chava Green will speak over dessert, with tips on love: Relationships Redefined: Three Tools to Meet & Keep the One. Register for Shabbat dinner now at www.chabaduptown.org/lsd
• SEPT 18: Ladies Sweet Beginnings - An Evening of Torah Study and Culinary Delight for women, hosted by Aishel House in partnership with all Chabad Centers of Houston - www.chabadhouston.com/ladies
• SEPT 29: Rosh Hashana followed by the month of holidays! All the information has been posted to chabaduptown.org/services

Shabbos Nachamu Parshas Va'Eschanan

Friday, August 16, 15 Av
Services at 7:30 pm | RSVP for Shabbat Dinner
Candle Lighting at 7:44 pm

Shabbos, August 17, 16 Av
Chassidus at 9:00 am 
Services at 10 am
Followed by Shabbos Kiddush & Farbengen
Mincha at 7:45 pm
Ethics of of Fathers, Chapter 3
Maariv, Havdalla & Shabbos Ends at 8:38 pm
Living Torah Video Program (15 min.)

Sunday, August 18- Shacharis at 8:30 am followed by the real BLT = Bagels, Lox & Tefillin
Monday, August 19 - Shacharis at 6:45 am
Thursday, August 22 - Shacharis at 6:45 am

Have a good Shabbos!

Rabbi Chaim & Chanie

It's a girls house! Chaya is now also home from camp, completing the girls unit of the family while the boys are away at camp...

This Shabbat is called Shabbat Chazon, Shabbat of Vision. It is the opening words of the day's haftara, which is the third of the series of readings known as "The Three of Rebuke." On this Shabbat, say the Chassidic masters, we are granted a vision of the Third Temple; we may not see it with our physical eyes, but our souls see it, and are empowered to break free of our present state of galus and bring about the Redemption and the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash! Links: The Holy Temple: an Anthology, Shabbat of Vision, About the "Three of Rebuke", www.thethreeweeks.com

Because of the holiness of Shabbat, the Tisha Bav fast, mourning the destruction of the Temple and the exile of Israel, is postponed to after Shabbat. The fast begins Saturday at sunset, and continues through Sunday, Av 10, till nightfall. See full schedule below. See "Laws and Customs" for tomorrow, Av 10, for the particular observances of the fast day. Links: Mitzvah Minute: Tisha b'Av, Laws of Tishah B'Av.

On Motzei Shabbat, join us for an evening of film, study and personal reflection. ABOUT THE FILM "UNSETTLED" & TISHA B'AV: This day is when we traditionally mourn the destruction of the Temple and all the subsequent tragedies to befall the Jewish people. In recent history we witnessed Israel's disengagement from Gaza. It all began with the closing of the Kissufim crossing when on August 14, 9 Av, of 2005 and the Gaza Strip became officially closed for entrance by Israelis. During the Gaza withdrawal, three young Israelis will be forced from their homes, two soldiers will be sent to evict them, and one activist will try to help her country avoid a war. UNSETTLED is the story of a generation on the front lines of a nation's battle against itself.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• AUG 15: YJP HOUSTON - The White Party - www.yjphouston.org/white
  Join Houston Young Jewish Professionals in their 20’s and 30’s for an evening of art, music, wine and sushi in your summer white cocktail attire! Celebrate Tu B’Av with YJP Houston, where artists Maria Itkin, Debra Gross, Jessica Pfrenger and Roni Urunbaev will feature their unique art collection and participate in an interactive mural, allowing you the opportunity to become the artist!
• AUG 18: Mental Health First Aid http://bit.ly/2Sip9Wc.
  Mental Health First Aid teaches a 5-step action plan to offer initial help to people showing signs of a mental illness or in a crisis, and connects them with the appropriate professional, peer, social, or self help care. Anyone can take the 8-hour Mental Health First Aid course, but it is ideally designed for adults — teachers, coaches, leaders of faith communities, social workers, and other caring citizens.
• AUG 23-24: "LSD & Tefillin Changed my Life" Entire Community welcome to join us for Shabbat dinner, preparing for Elul with Scholars in Residence Rabbi Aharon & Chava Green.  Register for Shabbat dinner now at www.chabaduptown.org/lsd

Mazel tov Jessie and Miriam Izak on the birth a baby girl!

PARSHA: The Vacuum of Choice

On whose initiative were the spies sent? The way the story is told in Numbers 13, it was by divine command. But when Moses recounts these events 40 years later, he tells the people of Israel that it was their idea. The contradiction describes a watershed in the history of freedom of choice. more…

Shabbos Chazon Parshas Devarim

Friday, August 9, 8 Av
Services at 7:30 pm | RSVP for Shabbat Dinner
Candle Lighting at 7:50 pm

Shabbos, August 10, 9 Av
Chassidus at 9:00 am 
Services at 10 am
Followed by Shabbos Kiddush & Farbengen
Refrain from general Torah study at 1:26 pm
Early Mincha at 2:01 pm
No Pirkei Avos, No Egg & Ash
Fast begins at 8:07 pm
Shabbos ends 8:45 pm
Say Baruch Hamavdil bein Kodesh L'Chol
Change out of leather shoes, leave on Shabbos clothes
Maariv & Havdalla Candle 9:00 pm
Megilat Eicha - Book of Lamentations 9:15 pm
Followed by a moving documentary film, "Unsettled"

Sunday, August 11, 10 Av - Tisha B'av (Observed)
Ritual wash (negel vasser) only to knuckles
8:30 am Shacharis with Torah Reading
No Talis & Tefillin by Shacharis
9:30 am Kinos - Lamentations
1:26 pm Midday - Resume sitting normally
7:15 pm Mincha – Talis, Tefillin, Krias HaTorah
8:32 pm Maariv, Havdalla (on wine only) & Fast Ends
Kiddush Levanah
Refrain from meat and wine tonight. All other mourning practices cease.

Monday, August 12, Av 11 - Shacharis at 6:45 am
Thursday, August 15, Av 14 - Shacharis at 6:45 am
YJP Houston The White Party at 7 pm www.yjphouston.org/white