Shabbat Shalom from the largest International summit for young Jewish professionals in the world!
This week, YJPHouston is proud to have representatives at the Chabad Young Professionals International Summit In Crown Heights, where 600 young Jews from around the world are gathering for an immersive weekend of learning, inspiration and connection at Chabad World Headquarters in NY.
Taking place at the epicenter of the Chabad movement, our YPs will have the opportunity to attend timely workshops on essential topics, experience the robust Jewish life of Crown Heights, and glean lessons from the powerful teachings of The Rebbe.
With all that is happening in the world today, gatherings like these are a critical way for us to connect with the global Jewish community and remind ourselves, Am Yisroel Chai, that the Jewish people are alive!
We are proud to be one of the 263 Chabad Young Professional communities serving the next generation of proud Jews around the world.
Wishing you a wonderful Shabbos!
Good Shabbos!
Rabbi Chaim & Chanie
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK - PARSHAS VA'EIRA
In this week’s Torah portion we read about seven of the 10 plagues that G-d brought upon the Egyptians. Moses warns Pharaoh that if he doesn’t allow the Jewish people to leave immediately, G-d will unleash His mighty hand and wreak havoc in Egypt. And as we know, Pharaoh did not heed the warnings, allowing for the series of 10 plagues to commence.
The purpose of the plagues was more than simply punitive. It wasn’t just to exact revenge against the Egyptians. The primary purpose of the plagues was to make G-d’s name known, but not just to the Egyptians. G-d wanted the Jewish people themselves to be aware of His powers. After having spent two centuries enslaved in Egypt, many of the Jewish people had lost their way and began behaving like their oppressors. So the goal of the plagues was to awaken all Jews, especially those who had strayed, and bring them back into the fold before they would receive the Torah at Mt. Sinai.
As in those days, today too we must look at everything that happens in this world as a message to us in our relationship with G-d. Even those events that seem only tangentially related to the Jewish people also have a message for us. We are encouraged to take heed and learn from everything that we witness. We must also not become complacent and assume that G-d is punishing our enemies on our behalf simply in order to punish them – the message for us is that we must become reinspired and reconnected to our heritage.
The more we take this to heart, the stronger our bond to Torah becomes, and the closer we will come to witnessing the ultimate revelation of G-dliness, with the coming of Moshiach!
SAVE THE DATE!
- March 29-31 - CYP Encounter Texas - YJP Houston will host an exciting weekend of soulful connections and enriching encounters, fostering personal and spiritual growth. More & RSVP
Shabbos Parshas Va'eira
Friday, January 12, 2 shevat
5:24 pm Shabbos Candle Lighting & Mincha
6:00 pm Kabbolas Shabbos
7:00 PM Shabbos dinner
Shabbos, January 13, 3 shevat
Chassidus 9 am
Services at 10 am
Followed by Shabbos Lunch Kiddush & Farbrengen sponsored by the Tzions
Mincha at 5:25 pm
Seder Niggunim
Maariv, Havdalla and Shabbos ends at 6:21 pm
Living Torah
Good Shabbos!