This morning, Rabbi Chaim & Menucha Lazaroff talked Rosh Hashana with Melissa Wilson and DaLaun Dillard of Fox 26 Houston showing new fruits, pomegranates, apple dipped in honey and other traditions. KHOU Channel 11 will have an interview of reflection with Victor Jacobo on their 5 pm broadcast this afternoon.
Rosh Hashanah is not only a celebration of new beginnings, but also a profound spiritual event where we re-coronate Hashem as our King. It is a day of renewal, where we reaffirm our commitment to follow Him and live according to His will.
One of the central themes of Rosh Hashanah is “Malchuyot,” the acknowledgment of Hashem’s sovereignty. Through the sounding of the shofar, we declare that Hashem is the ruler of the universe, both in the Heavens and on Earth. The shofar’s blast is not just a call to repentance, but a royal fanfare that ushers in the King’s presence. We remind ourselves that G-d is the source of all life, power, and authority. Our role is to serve Him and align our lives with His Divine plan.
On this day, we stand before Hashem, recognizing that He continuously sustains the world and each of us individually. By acknowledging His reign, we accept our responsibilities as His subjects, committing to uphold His commandments and embody His values in the coming year. This is an act of devotion and trust—trust that His rulership is just and benevolent, and that following His path will lead to personal and collective blessings.
Rosh Hashanah is not just a time for personal reflection, but also a communal renewal of faith. As a nation, we commit to the mission Hashem has entrusted to us: to bring light into the world, through acts of kindness, justice, and adherence to the Torah. The coronation of Hashem on Rosh Hashanah reminds us that our purpose is intertwined with His Divine will, and that through our efforts, we help manifest His kingship in the world.
Wishing you and your family a happy, healthy, and sweet new year!
Rabbi Chaim & Chanie
Chabad of Uptown looks forward to celebrating the holidays with you. Our doors are to the entire Jewish community to daven and to celebrate, regardless of background or affiliation. 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! www.chabaduptown.org/membership
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS
- Wed.-Fri., Oct 2-4 - FREE Rosh Hashana Services, RSVP for Dinner and Luncheons
- Fri.-Sat., Oct. 11-12 - Yom Kippur Services and Break Fast
- Wed., Thurs. & Fri. Oct. 16, 17, 18 - Community Sukkot Dinners Under the Stars
- Thurs. Oct. 24 12:15 pm - Shemini Atzeret Yizkor with special Service to Honor the Memory of the Oct. 7 massacre
- Thurs Oct. 24, 6:25 pm - Simchat Torah Uptown - Dance like a Star!
UPCOMING YJP EVENTS
- Friday, October 4, 6:45-11 pm - Chocolate Shabbat First Fridays - Rosh Hashana Edition - Join Young Jewish Professionals for Chocolate Themed Shabbat Dinner at YJP Houston - where spirits run high! 6:30 pm – Abbreviated Shofar Service, 6:45 pm - Candle Lighting & Friday Night Services, 8:30 pm – Chocolate Themed Shabbat Dinner, $20 until Tuesday, $36 after, Use promo code: advance www.yjphouston.org/rhchocolate
- Sat. Oct. 19, 9:00 pm - YAD, J-HYPE & YJP Houston - Sukkot Stir Fry Showdown: Wok-N-Roll All Night - Join Young Professionals 20s & 30s for a Sukkah Stir-Fry Showdown! Dinner & Open Bar www.yjphouston.org/showdown
CUSTOMS FOR THIS YEAR
- TODAY: Eruv Tavshilin - When Shabbat occurs immediately following a festival -- as it does this year -- an "eruv tavshilin" (i.e., food for at least one "meal" that is set aside in advance for Shabbat) must be prepared prior to the festival, so that it should be permitted to prepare food for Shabbat during the festival.
- TONIGHT: "Leshana Tova" - Upon the conclusion of the evening prayers in the synagogue, we extend to one another greetings of Leshana Tovah Tekatev Vitechatem, "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year."
- TONIGHT: Traditional Foods - In the evening meal, we eat apple dipped in honey, the head of a fish, pomogranates , tzimmes (sweet carrots) and other foods signifying a sweet and successful year.
- FIRST & SECOND DAY: Shofar - In the course of the morning and musaf service, the shofar (ram's horn) is sounded one hundred times, in various combinations of tekiah (a long blast), shevarim (a trio of broken sobs) and teruah (a staccato of short notes), in fulfillment of the primary mitzvah of Rosh Hashanah. The shofar serves to trumpet our coronation of G-d as King of the Universe, as a call to repentance, and to evoke the memory of the Binding ofIsaac. Link: The Cry of the Shofar: Two Parables
- FIRST DAY AFTERNOOON: Tashlich - In the afternoon, the Tashlich prayer service, in which we ask G-d to "cast away our sins in the depths of the sea", is recited at a body of water (sea, river, lake, pond, etc.) containing fish.
- SECOND NIGHT: Shehecheyanu (New Fruit) - When lighting candles and making kiddush on the eve of the 2nd day of Rosh Hashanah, a "new fruit" (i.e., one that has not yet been eaten this season) is placed on the table; the fruit is then eaten after kiddush. This is to enable us to make the Shehecheyanu blessing praising G-d for "granting us life, sustaining us, and bringing us to this season" (because the two days of Rosh Hashanah are regarded as "one long day", the Shehecheyanu blessing, recited on the festivals by the women when lighting the candles and by the men in kiddush, requires an additional source of rejoicing).
- THIRD DAY: 10 Days of Repentance; Shabbat Shuvah - The 10-day period beginning on Rosh Hashanah and ending on Yom Kippur is known as the "Ten Days of Repentance"; this is the period, say the sages, of which the prophet speaks when he proclaims (Isaiah 55:6) "Seek G-d when He is to be found; call on Him when He is near." It is thus a most auspicious time to rectify the failings and missed opportunities of the past and positively influence the coming year. Psalm 130 and other special inserts and additions are included in our daily prayers during these days. The Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur is called Shabbat Shuvah, "Shabbat of Return." The name derives from the Haftarah (reading from the prophets) for this Shabbat, which opens with the words (Hosea 14:2), "Return O Israel unto the L-rd your G-d..." According to master Kabbalist Rabbi Isaac Luria ("Ari"), the seven days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (which will always include one Sunday, one Monday, etc.) correspond to the seven days of the week. The Sunday between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur includes within itself all Sundays of the year; the Monday embodies all Mondays, and so on. Shabbat Shuvah is thus the archetypal Shabbat -- the juncture in time at which we are empowered to influence every Shabbat of our year. Links: About the Ten Days of teshuvah; Voicemail; more on teshuvah.
- HOLIDAY GUIDE - For a complete High Holiday guide including readings, stories, recipes and greeting cards, click here
We share condolences to Josh Levy on the passing of his mother in Israel, Jacquelyn bas Chasiva, a"h.
ROSH HASHANA
Wednesday, October 2
DON'T FORGET ERUV TAVSHILIN!
Light Holiday Candles 6:47 pm
Community Evening Service 6:45 pm
Children's Program 6:45-8:15 pm
Community Holiday Dinner - RSVP required
www.chabaduptown.org/2283117
Thursday, October 3
Sefardi Sunrise Minyan 6:30 am
Community Morning Services 9:30 am
Children's Program 11:30 am-1:00 pm
Shofar Service 12:30 pm
Holiday Lunch Kiddush - RSVP
Mincha Service 6:00 pm
Community Tashlich Walk 6:30 pm
Light Holiday Candles AFTER 7:39 pm
Community Evening Service 7:40 pm
Community Holiday Dinner - RSVP required
www.chabaduptown.org/2283117
Friday, October 4
Sefardi Sunrise Minyan 6:30 am
Community Morning Services 9:30 am
Children's Program 11:30 am-1:00 pm
Shofar Service 12:30 pm
Holiday Lunch Kiddush - RSVP
Community Evening Service 6:45 pm
Light Shabbat Candles 6:45 pm
YJP October Chocolate Shabbat First Fridays - Rosh Hashana Edition 7:45 pm
www.yjphouston.org/events/rhchocolate
Shabbat, October 5
Chassidus Study 9:00 am
Morning Service 10:00 am
Shabbat Lunch Kiddush - RSVP
Mincha Service 6:45 pm
Maariv, Havdalla & Shabbat Ends 7:37 pm
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