Updates

So often, education is viewed as studying a subject for the purpose of mastering it. To gain a skill. To get a degree. To further a career.

In Judaism, education goes far beyond study for the purpose of making a better living. It’s to make a better life. For yourself. For your community. For society as a whole.

This happens when you view each experience in your life as a teaching moment for yourself. How can this make me a better person? How can this better the people around me?

The Rebbe dedicated endless amounts of time and energy to promoting the value of education. The Rebbe felt that education in the school system needs to put a greater focus on promoting fundamental human rights and the obligation of justice and morality that we owe the world.

In recognition of the Rebbe’s efforts on promoting education, every U.S. president since Jimmy Carter in 1978, has dedicated the Rebbe’s birthday as Education Day USA - a day dedicated to honoring the value and importance that education plays in our world.

That's the true meaning of Chinuch and has been the focus this week for our CONNECT10N campaign, 10 ways to own your Judaism. Couple that with today being Rosh Chodesh Elul it is surely a time to consider the introspection this would take to think about what I am doing about the true meaning of education.

Here is this week's class by Rabbi Chaim about Chinuch = Education = WATCH

Today is Rosh Chodesh Elul and starts the countdown o the Jewish New Year.

Thursday, September 10, 7:30 PM: Ladies Virtual Honey Cake Bake - RSVP to get an ingredient kit!

High Holiday Services - Registration required
Rosh Hashanah:  September 18-20
Yom Kippur: September 27-28
Sukkot:  October 2-9
Simchat Torah: October 9-11

Elul Observances: As the last month of the Jewish year, Elul is traditionally a time of introspection and stocktaking -- a time to review one's deeds and spiritual progress over the past year and prepare for the upcoming "Days of Awe" of Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.

As the month of Divine Mercy and Forgiveness, it is a most opportune time for  teshuvah, prayer, charity, and increased Ahavat Yisrael (love for a fellow Jew) in the quest for self-improvement and coming closer to G-d. Chassidic master Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi likens the month of Elul to a time when "the king is in the field" and, in contrast to when he is in the royal palace, "everyone who so desires is permitted to meet him, and he receives them all with a cheerful countenance and shows a smiling face to them all."

Specific Elul customs include the daily sounding of the shofar (ram's horn) as a call to repentance. The Baal Shem Tov instituted the custom of reciting three additional chapters of Psalms each day, from the 1st of Elul until Yom Kippur (on Yom Kippur the remaining 36 chapters are recited, thereby completing the entire book of Psalms). Click below to view today's Psalms. Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

Elul is also the 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. Links: More on Elul

Good Year Greetings: From the beginning of Elul and throughout the High Holiday season, we include the blessing "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year" (Leshanah tovah tikateiv veteichateim) in letters and greetings to one another. Links: Bless You!

Great progress has been made in the construction of the Uptown Plaza! Can you help the progress to help pay for it? www.chabaduptown.org/pavetheway

We had a great blood drive yesterday!  With 22 successful donors, 25  units collected... That means 75 lives have been saved!

We express our sincere condolences to the Lipski family on the untimely passing of their brother, husband and father, Aharon ben Zev Halevi, a"h, Lipski.

SHABBOS PARSHAS SHOFTIM

Friday, Elul 1 - August 21
Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat at 7:30 pm
Candle Lighting at 7:38 pm
Evening Shema after 8:21 pm

Shabbos, Elul 2 - August 22
Shacharis at 10:00 am
Latest Morning Shema at 10:07 am
Mincha at 7:35 pm
Pirkei Avos, Chapter 6
Maariv, Havdalla & Shabbos Ends at 8:31 pm
Living Torah #30 at www.70years.com

Sunday, Elul 3 - August 23
8:30 am Shacharis, followed by Elul Shofar sounding

VIRTUAL  CLASSES
www.chabaduptown.org/liveclass

Tuesday
12:00 pm - Parsha Class

Wednesday
8 PM YJP CLASS

Thursday
12:00 pm - Kitzur Shulchan Aruch - Jewish Law 
8:00 pm - Chassidus - Derech Mitzvosecha

This week for we're discussing kosher - what is kosher, and its inner meaning. Kosher literally means fit - as in anything that's fit for us to eat as Jews - but it's more than just a diet. It's a way to connect to our Judaism as an expression of G-d's transcendent will to make our #CONNECT10N. 

Keeping Kosher isn’t as hard as it may seem.

• Do you know that many everyday supermarket items already have a Kosher symbol?
• Do you know that two local supermarkets, Randalls Meyer Park and HEB Meyerland Market, have huge kosher sections that rivals most cities in the USA! You can even get it delivered (to some zip codes) or curbside pickup from HEB Meyerland Market, with items populated and listed at that location (including kosher certified fresh meats, bakery, fish, sushi, produce etc), while using the HEB app!
• Do you know that you can get Kosher certified Sushi at four Houston locations?

Every time you eat a kosher bite you are performing a mitzvah! So make your next outing to a kosher restaurant and shopping at a kosher supermarket! 

Keeping kosher is easier than you think! 

• Watch Rabbi Chaim's class on kosher here.
• See all the available kosher options in Houston that we recommend at www.texaskosher.org
• Learn more about kosher on our website at chabaduptown.org/kosher

BLOOD DRIVE AND FREE ANTIBODIES TEST BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! After last time was wildly successful, on Thursday, August 20, 3:30-8:00 pm, at Chabad of Uptown, we will be hosting another blood drive!  The blood bank now tests for Covid-19 antibodies and all blood donors get the report! People have already started making appointments, so reserve your spot now! APPOINTMENTS ARE REQUIRED. Schedule your appointment today! Give Blood and go home with a life saving Mitzvah, Shabbat Challah, a free T-shirt To-Go!

Thank you to all those that have paved the way for the future! This plaza will truly be a stepping stone to expanded shul and programming... You can still step up to help us reach the goal! Please participate at www.chabaduptown.org/pavetheway

We express our sincere condolences to Tamar (& Shlomi) Benhamo on the passing of her father, Shlomo Binyamin Ben Alexander Hakohen, o.b.m, Ratchcovski in Jerusalem, after contracting covid 19.!

SHABBOS PARSHAS RE'EH

Friday, Menachem Av 24 - August 14
Mincha and Kabbalat Shabbat at 7:45 pm
Candle Lighting at 7:45 pm
Evening Shema after 8:28 pm

Shabbos, Menachem Av 25 - August 15
Shacharis at 10:00 am
Latest Morning Shema at 10:06 am
Mincha at 7:45 pm
Pirkei Avos, Chapter 5
Maariv, Havdalla & Shabbos Ends at 8:39 pm
Living Torah #29 at www.70years.com

Sunday, Menachem Av 25 - August 16
8:30 am Shacharis

VIRTUAL  CLASSES
www.chabaduptown.org/liveclass

Tuesday
12:00 pm - Parsha Class

Wednesday
8 PM YJP CLASS

Thursday
12:00 pm - Kitzur Shulchan Aruch - Jewish Law 
8:00 pm - Chassidus - Derech Mitzvosecha