Updates

We are in the only month of no holidays. There is certain music to the grind of regular daily life. Yet, it is the quiet before the storm! See below for the schedule for the upcoming month or two, its going to be hopping and popping!

Our daily minyan has been doing great! Join us every morning to get your day started off right!

When G-d appeared to Abraham after his circumcision at age 99, the Torah describes him sitting at the entrance to his home looking for guests. G-d had made it so hot outside that there were no travelers, allowing Abraham to rest and recover.

But Abraham insisted on performing the mitzvah of hosting, and despite the most important visitor — G-d Himself — being there, he still hoped for actual guests he could host and serve.

When three angels finally appeared in the form of human travelers, Abraham politely asked G-d to “hang on” while he tended to his guests.

The Talmud says that Abraham’s actions remind us that being kind and welcoming to strangers is at times greater than welcoming G-d Himself. Being there for others, even those that appear to be strangers, comes before taking care of our own spiritual endeavors.

As Jews we all inherit this attribute of kindness from Abraham, and it’s our responsibility to find ways to apply it in our lives.

Looking forward to seeing you real soon!

With wishes for a Good Shabbos,

Rabbi Chaim & Chanie

Upcoming Events:

• Sunday, Oct. 31, 2:30 pm - Kids Mega Challah Bake - www.chabaduptown.org/bake
• Sunday, Oct. 31, 3:30 pm - Kinus Live & Virtual Conference of Chabad Rabbis - www.chabaduptown.org/kinus
• Tuesdays, Nov. 2-23 - JLI 4-part course - Outsmarting Antisemism - More>
• Friday, Nov. 5, 7:00 am - Monthly Rosh Chodesh Shacharis & Breakfast
• Friday, Nov. 5, 6:30 pm - YJP Fall Edition - Nov. First Fridays - www.yjphouston.org/fall
• Nov. 28-Dec. 6 - Celebrate Chanukah - www.chabaduptown.org/chanukah
• Sun. Nov. 28, 4 pm - Chanukah Book Trail - Post Oak Menorah Lighting - www.chabaduptown.org/book
• Fri., Dec. 3, 6:30 pm - YJP Chanukah Shabbat - Dec. First Fridays - www.yjphouston.org/shabbatchanukah
• Sat. Dec. 4, 8-11 pm - YJP Chanukah Boat Party - www.yjphouston.org/boat
• Fri-Sun, Jan. 14-16 - YJP NYC Shabbat Experience - www.cypshabbat.nyc

When You Are In a Slump

Why does the Prophet Elisha tell the distraught woman to collect empty pitchers and fill them with oil? more…

Shabbos Parshas Vayeira

Friday, October 22, Cheshvan 16
Candle Lighting at 6:26 pm
Evening Services at 6:30 pm
RSVP for Shabbat Dinner
www.chabaduptown.org/shabbatdinner

Shabbos, October 23, Cheshvan 17
Chassidus at 9 am
Services at 10 am
Followed by Shabbos Lunch Kiddush
Mincha at 6:25 pm
Torah Study
Maariv, Havdalla & Shabbos Ends at 7:19 pm
Living Torah

Sunday, Oct. 24, Cheshvan 18 - Shacharis at 8:00 am
Mon.-Fri., Oct 25-29, Cheshvan 19-23 - Shacharis at 7:00 am

Have a good Shabbos!

We are on a routine of full weeks of classes and daily minyan! 

This past Wednesday marked an obscure “holiday” on the Jewish calendar, the 7th of Cheshvan. It is the day that the daily recitation of the prayer for rain starts in Israel. Since the economy of Israel, especially in ancient times, depended on rain to enable the land to prosper and produce, this is not an insignificant prayer. Outside of the Holy Land, the prayer for rain is recited beginning on the 60th day after the autumnal equinox -- on December 4th or 5th.

Ideally this prayer should have begun several weeks earlier, right after the holiday of Sukkot. But since the last pilgrims to Jerusalem for the holiday would not arrive home until the 7th of Cheshvan, the prayer for rain was postponed to allow them to reach home safely and not be caught in any heavy rainstorms.

Imagine—an entire nation waiting all summer for rain so that the crops can be watered, but they wait an additional two weeks just so that the stragglers, those living in the most distant cities, would be able to travel comfortably.

An important lesson in how we must care for every single individual, sometimes even at the expense of the community at large. And of course, the reward for this consideration for our fellow Jews, we are blessed with an abundance of “rain” and sustenance for ourselves and our families.

Have a Good Shabbos!

Rabbi Chaim and Chanie

Upcoming Events:

• Sunday, Oct. 31, 2:30 pm - Kids Mega Challah Bake - www.chabaduptown.org/bake
• Friday, Nov. 5, 7:00 am - Monthly Rosh Chodesh Shacharis & Breakfast
• Friday, Nov. 5, 6:30 pm - YJP Fall Edition - Nov. First Fridays - www.yjphouston.org/fall
• Nov. 28-Dec. 6 - Chanukah

Mazel tov Colin and Alessandra Falk on the birth of a baby boy!]

Was Abraham Hungry for Riches?

It is surprising to say that Abraham was concerned about his reward, when Maimonides singles out Abraham as a paragon of serving G‑d “purely out of love.” more…

Shabbos Parshas Lech Lecha

Friday, October 15, Cheshvan 9
Evening Services at 6:30 pm
Candle Lighting at 6:33 pm
RSVP for Shabbat Dinner

Shabbos, October 16, Cheshvan 10
Chassidus at 9 am
Services at 10 am
Followed by Shabbos Lunch Kiddush
Mincha at 6:35 pm
Torah Study
Maariv, Havdalla & Shabbos Ends at 7:25 pm
Kiddush Levana
Living Torah

Sunday, Oct. 17, Cheshvan 11 - Shacharis at 8:00 am
Monday-Friday, Oct 18-22, Cheshvan 12-16 - Shacharis at 7:00 am

Have a good Shabbos!

A traditional greeting at the end of the month of Tishrei leading into this week is from a verse in Genesis: Ve-Ya-akov Halach Ledarko - and Jacob went on his way.

The purpose of the Holidays is not to run away from the mundane world and hide in the cocoon of Jewish spirituality. Quite the contrary. The whole purpose of Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot is to charge our batteries in order to hit the road of everyday life.

The energy of the Shofar and the Lulav carry us down the treacherous path of the winter months ahead. The inspiration of Yom Kippur and Simchat Torah elevate us an inch above the muddy grounds and allow us to hover over the bumps of our daily struggles.

At Chabad of Uptown and YJP Houston we are ready to tackle the rest of the year with a renewed commitment to hosting you for a Shabbat meal, to having you over for a thoughtful class, to coming by your house to help you put up a Mezuzah, to meet up over coffee or drinks, and to be your Jewish home in Uptown Houston. In fact, inspired by the wonderful attendance throughout the holidays we now have a daily minyan, 8:30 am on Sundays and legal holidays and 6:45 am on weekdays. We hope you will join us!

Hit the road Jack, and come home. 

Wishing you a good Shabbos and a great month of Cheshvan,

Rabbi Chaim & Chanie

P.S. Do you know you can find all of our past weekly updates at www.chabaduptown.org/blog? Also, follow us on social media everywhere @youngchabad!

We share our sincere condolences to Katie (Sokol) & Ben Razinovsky on the passing of her father Dr. Abraham Sokol, Avraham Yitzhak HaKohen, of Scarsdale, NY. 

Shabbos Parshas Noach

Friday, October 8, Cheshvan 2
Mincha at 6:40 pm
Candle Lighting at 6:41 pm
Kabbalat Shabbat Services 
RSVP for Shabbat Dinner

Shabbos, October 9, Cheshvan 3
Chassidus at 9 am
Services at 10 am
Shabbos Kiddush sponsored by Moshe & Guitel Melnik and family and by Ann Goldstein in memory and marking the 7 Cheshvan yartzeit of her brother Shmuel ben Nosson Goldberg in whose memory our first Torah was dedicated.
Mincha at 6:40 pm
Torah Study
Maariv, Havdalla & Shabbos Ends at 7:33 pm
Living Torah

Sunday, Oct. 10 - Shacharis at 8:30 am
Monday-Friday, Oct 11-15 - Shacharis at 6:45 am

Have a good Shabbos!