Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc on our neighbors in New Orleans. Rather than preparing for Rosh Hashana the local Chabad centers, Rabbis and community have been assisting the local community with food, generators and fuel as they remain without power, even while sustaining damage to their own homes and buildings.
However, critical fuel is needed to power the relief effort, and the local Chabad reached out to Houston to see what we can do. Kicking into high gear, over 500 gallons of fuel were delivered last night by dedicated volunteers with fuel distribution this morning!
What an amazing community we have! Check out the photo gallery of the relief efforts ongoing in New Orleans here.
Support Chabad of Louisiana relief efforts at www.chabadneworleans.com/ida
YJP Houston First Fridays - Taco 'Bout Shabbat: Tonight we host the September First Fridays Shabbat Dinner! Click here to RSVP.
Tishrei, the month of the High Holidays, Days of Awe and Days of Joy are HERE!
Chabad of Uptown looks forward to celebrating the High Holidays with you. Since the onset of the pandemic, we have done all we can to provide a safe environment for the community to daven and celebrate.
For the increased attendance expected on the High Holidays we will ask all to please use a facemask so everyone can feel comfortable.
If you do not feel comfortable attending the services indoors, we recommend that you please attend the 12:30 pm Shofar blowing times on both days, when we will have a Shofar service on the outdoor patio. You may also want to attend the outdoor Tashlich walk, that leaves the shul at 7 pm. The shofar will be blown at the Tashliach service as well.
For the complete schedule of services, to RSVP for holiday dinners or lunches, visit www.chabaduptown.org/services.
Now is also the time to join or renew your voluntary membership to Chabad. Your partnership allows us to provide free, open and welcoming services to all, for the holidays and year round!
SHEMITA: Like the seventh day of the week, every seventh year is holy. The Shemittah (Sabbatical) year is a year devoted to strengthening our bond with G-d - specifically, honing our faith in His omnipotence and our trust in His kindness.
This year, 5782 since creation (Sept. 7, 2021 - Sept. 25, 2022), is a Shemittah year. The articles and classes in the following sections will discuss this year's special observances as well as its spiritual message.
Click here to read a practical summary of the laws and customs of observing Shemitah while living outside of Israel.
PRUZBUL: Part of the observance of Shemittah includes the forgiving of loans. More than 2,000 years ago, Hillel the Elder saw that people were avoiding giving loans as the Shemittah year neared. In order to encourage people to continue lending money, he instituted the pruzbul system. The Torah states that while all private debts are forgiven, public debts are exempt. The act of pruzbul makes private debts public, and therefore redeemable. (See Loan Amnesty for more information on the origins of the pruzbul .)
Though the pruzbul is done on the eve of the Rosh Hashanah preceding the Shemittah year, according to many halachic authorities one should execute another pruzbul one year later, on the last day of the Shemittah (considering that the actual annulment of all debts transpires on that date).
The pruzbul can be done orally before three adult men who constitute a court. One approaches this "court" and states that he or she is transferring to them all debts which may be owed to him or her, thus making them collectable.
If this option is not available to you, fill out the form before early afternoon of Monday, September 6, 2021. Click here for the Pruzbul Form
CALENDAR OF TISHREI HOLIDAYS:
www.chabaduptown.org/services
- Sept. 6-8 - Rosh Hashana
- Sept. 15-16 - Yom Kippur
- Sept. 20-27 - Sukkot
- Sept. 28-29 - Simchas Torah
Lulav and Etrog set: Don't wait until the last minute! Please order here. Be sure to put "UPTOWN" in the note field.
Mazel tov to Guy & Melissa Ohana on the birth of a baby girl, Amy Rivkah!
SHABBOS PARSHAS NITZAVIM
Friday, 26 Elul - September 3
Light Shabbat candles at 7:23 pm
Evening Service at 7:30 pm
YJP Houston Taco 'Bout Shabbat - www.yjphouston.org/tacoshabbat
Shabbos 27 Elul - September 4
Whole Tehillim at 8:30 am
Shacharis at 10:00 am
Followed by Shabbos Lunch Kiddush & Farbrengen
Mincha at 7:20 pm
Ethics of Our Fathers, Ch. 5 & 6
Maariv, Havdalla & Shabbos Ends at 8:16 pm
Living Torah
ROSH HASHANA
Monday, 29 Elul - September 6
Selichos at 7 am
Shacharis
Hataras Nedarim & Pruzbul
Light Holiday Candles 7:20 pm
Community Evening Service 7:20 pm
Community Holiday Dinner - RSVP required
--Apples dipped in honey
Tuesday, 1 Tishrei, September 7
Sefardi Sunrise Minyan 6:30 am
Community Morning Services 9:30 am?}
Shofar Service approx. 12:30 pm
Holiday Lunch Kiddush - RSVP
Mincha Service & Tashlich Walk 6:30 pm
Light Holiday Candles AFTER 8:12 pm
Evening Service 8:15 pm
Community Holiday Dinner - RSVP required
—New Fruit for Shehechiyanu
Wednesday, 2 Tishrei September 8
Sefardi Sunrise Minyan 6:30 am
Community Morning Services 9:30 am
Shofar Service Approx. 12:30 pm
Holiday Lunch Kiddush - RSVP
Evening Service 7:20 pm
Havdalla & Holiday Ends 8:11 pm
Thursday, 3 Tishrei, Fast of Gedalia, September 9
Fast Begins at 5:48 am
Shacharit at 6:45 am
Mincha with Torah Reading at 7:00 pm
Ma’ariv, Fast Ends at 7:59 pm