Wow that week flew by! Great first "First Fridays" for 2020. Somehow Chanie was able to provide overflowing food, for all that showed!
I'm having writers block.
As we learned in this week's Tuesday parsha class, when Yosef brought his sons Efraim & Menashe to his father Yaakov, it seems that Yaakov had writer's block.
He asked Yosef, who are these children? Rashi explains he asked because he no longer was able to bless them through the ruach hakodesh, the divine inspiration, when Yosef's two sons came before him. So, he questioned, perhaps they weren't sufficiently pure? Yosef showed his Kesuba, demonstrating his going beyond the norms of the time, in order to push back on Egyptian culture and raise his family with purity. He thereby demonstrated that the sons were surely worthy of blessing. He may have been second to the king in the depraved Egyptian society, but he still stayed Yosef Hatzaddik, Yosef The Righteous.
In an artful depiction of marrying the old and the new, tonight we saw Barbara Hines at her exhibition and had to take a picture in front of her delightful creation of "Joseph Reunited" where he reconciles with his brothers, in a perfectly positioned selfie. Marrying the old and the new without getting distracted for who he is and what he stands for.
Barbara says that Yosef is her hero. I think I agree, do you?
There you go, it already inspired to write this email despite the block. That's good. That's Yosef. That's grit.
Lubavitch International wrote a feature story on philanthropy within Chabad and spotlighted the support we have from and for our young professionals programming...
"While those who study Jewish philanthropy see the next generation’s disinterest as a cause for concern, Rabbi Chaim views it as an exciting opportunity. “I have found that millennials will only support organizations that they find very compelling and are personally involved in,” he says. “An older donor may write a check from his or her office and never show up to an event, while a millennial who is giving his or her money will be actively involved in the program's success.” Whereas most of Chabad of Houston’s programming follows the standard Pareto model that ten percent of donors fund eighty to ninety percent of the budget, at least fifty percent of Chabad of Uptown’s Young Jewish Professionals budget is covered by program participants."
Are you part of the monthly donors Chai club yet? ;) Read the full story here or pick up a printed copy of the magazine at Chabad of Uptown.
This Shabbos Parshas Vayechi, Chabad of Uptown is joining the global movement of TEAM Shabbos, talking about the vital responsibility we have to respect life and end of life matters.
Condolences to Britt Sager nd the Sager on the passing of their family matriarch, Frances Isaacson.
Shabbos Chazak Parshas Vayechi
Friday, January 10
Candle Lighting and Mincha at 5:22 pm
Torah Study
Kabbalat Shabbat Services at 6:30 pm
RSVP for Shabbat Dinner
Shabbos, January 11
Chassidus at 9 am
Services at 10 am
Followed by Shabbos Lunch Kiddush sponsored by Guitel & Moshe Melnik in honor of the "ufruf" for the wedding of Ryan and Michelle
Mincha at 5:20 pm
Torah Study
Maariv, Havdalla & Shabbos Ends at 6:19 pm
Living Torah Video Program (15 min.)
Sunday, January 12 - Shacharis at 8:30 am followed the real BLT = Bagels, Lox & Tefillin
Have a good Shabbos!
Rabbi Chaim & Chanie