Dear Friends,
With limited time and computer access, we will keep this brief.
We have a lot to be thankful for, Hodu LaHashem Ki Tov Ki Lolam Chasdo. Thanks to Hashem for his good, with everlasting Kindness. Besdes for perhaps some damage and uncomfortable liing conditions - we are all physicaly ok. Baruch Hashem.
WE HAVE ELECTRICITY @ CHABAD UPTOWN! Please join us for services and dinner following!
The Thursday classes will have to be cancelled as Rabbi Chaim is out of town until Friday, see below.
Parshas Ki Savo
Friday, Sept. 19 - 7:30pm with dinner following (RSVP for dinner). Stump the Rabbi session at 10pm. (Candle Lighting 7:04 pm)
Saturday, Sept. 20 - 10 am services followed by kiddush. Mincha - 7:05 pm. Maariv & Havdalla - 7:56 pm.
The (partial) Chabad Report
- Chabad has entered into disaster mode with the approach and aftermath of Ike. See www.chabadtexas.org/hurricane
- The YOOD concert waas cancelled and rescheduled.
- The schools were closed (and remain closed waiting for power).
- Chabad Shliach, Rabbi Mendel Traxler, a member of the Houston Police Dept. PACT Division (Police & Clergy Team) is riding along with Police cruisers to help with clergy needs of emotional and spiritual support for evacuees.
- We spent some wonderful moments and memories for the kids when we took our defrosted chicken, otherwise spoiling marinade, packed our grill and condiments and made an ad hoc BBQ for the residents without access to food at the Goldberg Towers.
- A&M students answered our call for help, collected tarps tools and all, and headed down to Houston to tarp their roof and help with the cleanup of downed fences and scattered debris.
- We distributed the rest of the tarps to the ever thankful Police officers on the call of duty, whose own homes remained exposed to the elements with their worried families at home. Over 20 tarps were used to cover their own personal property of Houston's finest in blue.
- Food, ice water and constant volunteers delivered and climbed stairs over the past week delivering food to the seniors left stranded at Goldberg Towers.
- Recognizing the critical need for Shabbos, Chabad coordinated with the broader community to help fund and bring Shabbos packages. See hurricane bog for details.
- All Chabad locations in Houston still remain without power besides for our very own Uptown!
The (partial) Rabbi Chaim, Chanie & Clan Report
- Rabbi Chaim's brother, Shmuel Lazaroff joined the Tzahal last month, and has been approved train for the Paratroopers (Tzanchanim) and hopes to join the Secial Forces. May he stay safe and protect the Holy Land.
- Disaster relief was monkey wrenched with the news of the passing of Rabbi Chaim's grandmother, Rebbetzin Menucha Lazaroff on Monday. The funeral was Tuesday in Queens and Shiva is being held in Brooklyn at her apartment. Rabbi Chaim went to NY and Chanie and Fam went to hang out where there is electric at Chabad in College Station where they have A/C...
- The kids enjoyed the YOOD concert (that was also supposed to be on in Houston, but, cancelled) on campus at A&M.
- Rabbi Chaim's neice, Chaya Mushka Rosenfeld of Melbourne, Australia got engaged to another wonderful boy by the name of Sholom Goldstein of Toronto!
- My brother Peretz contributed to this report with the use of his oerheated laptop in his dining room, over hot tea, cony jokes and a bootleg wirelessinternet connections (you gotta love Brooklyn!).
- Rabbi Chaim WILL RETURN to Houston Thurday.
- Shabbat UPTOWN will happen, hey i is the only place with A/C :) Please join us!
Looking forward to seeing y'all and hearing your stories, and may we only have thankfullness and good news to share,
Rabbi Chaim, Chanie & Clan
P.S. Yes, this was brief.
P.P.S. Written from my mobile on Saturday night, September 13, 2008 - 10:09 pm:
chabad lubavitch center, bh, did not sustain too much damage. the new building (www.chabadtexas.org/building) has a lot of glass that was designed specifically to sustain 120 mph hurricane winds. however, the sun screen of the signature rooftop pavilion was ripped off, the menorah was thrown from the roof and remains dangling, waiting for a crane, and two massive oak trees toppled blocking a main thoroughfare Fondren rd. the perimeter 10 foot fence was also knocked down.
in my own home elec went out at about 1 am (others lost as early as 9pm) and at about 4am the winds were at its peak. the siding of our safe room began to rip off, followed by the insulation and felt paper down to the wood. at that point , feaing the roof was next, we moved
the fam to the other side of the house.
davening was held at regular times, this morning in the lobby of the new building with sunlight, and tonight in the parking lot by headlights.
as we sit without electric in a hot, humid and muggy home by candlelight, i wish you all a good night!
chaim laz
Chaya Mushka, Mendel, Rivkie and Levi join us in wishing you and your loved ones a Shana Tova Umetuka - a Happy and Sweet New Year.