Dear Friends,
Chabad of Uptown's grand reopening is here! (In The Pavilion, 1800 S. Post Oak Blvd., Ground Floor #140, between Westheimer & San Felipe).
This Shavuot, June 8-10 we be in full swing... Y'all should have gotten the info in the mail, if you haven't /won't, that means we probably do not have your address on file.
We have overcome many hurdles with preparing, repairing, a/c, plumbing and more for the space, but, the great moment is finally here! (Thank you so much to all those that stepped forward to assist this effort. You can still participate with the project by donating online at www.chabadtexas.org/donate and placing "Uptown" in the "in honor of" section).
In case you missed it, here is the top ten reasons you should be in shul on Monday to hear the Ten Commandments:
10 You have no other plans.
9 You heard them last year.
8 You didn’t hear them last year.
7 You don’t know what they are.
6 You’ve never met a Rabbi.
5 You’ve never been to Chabad.
4 Your recollection of them has faded since you first heard them 3320 years ago.
3 You can not list at least 5 of them.
2 You have kids and want to raise them as a ‘Mentch.’
1 You are a Jew.
Sunday, June 8:
Evening Services, 8:00 pm
All night Torah study, 12:00 am
Evening Services, 8:00 pm
All night Torah study, 12:00 am
Monday, June 9:
Morning Services, 10:00 am
Ten Commandments Torah Reading, 11:15 am
Children’s Service: 11:45 am - 12:45 pm
Followed by dairy kiddush & ice cream party
Evening Services, 8:00 pm
Morning Services, 10:00 am
Ten Commandments Torah Reading, 11:15 am
Children’s Service: 11:45 am - 12:45 pm
Followed by dairy kiddush & ice cream party
Evening Services, 8:00 pm
Tuesday, June 10:
Morning Services 10:00 am
Yizkor, 12:00 pm
Evening Services, 8:00 pm
Morning Services 10:00 am
Yizkor, 12:00 pm
Evening Services, 8:00 pm
Here is a thought for the long weekend (Shabbat and Yom Tov).
Another two days of no emails, cell phone, board meetings, clients and office managers...
So what's this holiday all about?
1. Torah. Spirituality. Meditation. Purpose. Life. Birth. Prayer. God. Divinity...
2. Decadent Cheesecake. Hot Lasagna. Sweet Blintzes. Hazelnut Coffee...
What's the connection?
For the focus on eating dairy foods - see here. But why all the emphasis on eating in general?
On the contrary, other than the High Holidays, Shavuot is definitely the most spiritual holiday lacking any real physical miracle or occasion.
Another two days of no emails, cell phone, board meetings, clients and office managers...
So what's this holiday all about?
1. Torah. Spirituality. Meditation. Purpose. Life. Birth. Prayer. God. Divinity...
2. Decadent Cheesecake. Hot Lasagna. Sweet Blintzes. Hazelnut Coffee...
What's the connection?
For the focus on eating dairy foods - see here. But why all the emphasis on eating in general?
On the contrary, other than the High Holidays, Shavuot is definitely the most spiritual holiday lacking any real physical miracle or occasion.
(No Maccabees victory (Chanukah), Egyptian freedom (Pesach), Persian downfall (Purim) or miraculous Desert Life (Sukkot) - just the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai.)
And yet as opposed to all the other holidays where there are specific Mitzvot - spiritual rituals - to be observed, the only Mitzva on Shavuot is to stay away from work and enjoy the holiday - with delicious food and drink!
(Of course there is all of the holiday prayers, night of learning and Ten commandments to hear etc but none of that is associated with any special Brocho over the Mitzva...)
In fact, Shavuot is the only holiday when fasting is absolutely forbidden!
Making Cheesecake holy may sound fictitious but that's why we got the Torah;
That's why we celebrate Shavuot;
To make cheesecake (and Emails, Cycling, Internet, long weekends, stressful clients, Baseball, Board Meetings and all of the other things that clutter up life...) holy.
On a day when we celebrate the descent of the Divine World in an unprecedented communication with mankind, we remember to focus on the ascent of humanity into the role of filling the world with a divine purpose.
Torah is our guide to make each and every experience in life, from the hours we spend in prayer and study to the first bite into the blessed cheesecake full of divine purpose and meaning.
And that's what we'll be celebrating on the long weekend...
Wishing you a long weekend of a Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!
We hope to see y'all Shavuot!!
Rabbi Chaim & Chanie
P.S. Please note that Chabad of Uptown has moved to a larger and beautiful location at The Pavilion on 1800 S. Post Oak Blvd!