Dear friends,

First some events this week (and next), links for High Holiday info and religious letters, and then a few more items below.

9/9: TORAH-TUESDAY
Tonight’s class is: “What Makes This Jewish?” some parts of which are more clear-cut, some parts less so. 6pm and 9pm, both with dairy dinner served.

9/10: GIRLS NIGHT IN
8pm Wednesday night at Shabbos House. Honey-Jar Decorating and Tea Party.

9/10: GUYS NIGGUN NIGHT
9pm also on Wednesday night, in the Shabbos House Basement. Learn a few Chassidim melodies (Niggun) with violinist Josh/Yehoshua Sussman.

9/12: SHABBAT DINNER AT HILLEL
Candlelighting (at Shabbos House) 6:52pm. Prayers 7:20pm CC 3rd Floor. Shabbat Dinner with Hillel 8pm in CC Room 375.

9/13: SHABBAT DAY
10:30am Prayers, Minyan at 11am (can use Minyaneers!) Shabbat Lunch 12:30pm. End of Shabbat Meal at 6:45pm. Shabbat ends 7:50pm.

9/13: MIDNIGHT SELICHOT
12am Pizza & smoothies (for a smooth new year), do you play an instrument? We’d love to have a little music, too. 12:45am for a half-hour traditional pre-high-holiday Midnight Selichot prayer. (Should be some rides for those coming to/from downtown).

9/14: SUNDAY MINYAN BRUNCH
11am Minyan and Tefillin, plus a little pre-Rosh-Hashanah study over Brunch.

9/15: THE GOODYEAR SHANA TOVA FAIR
11am-3:30pm at the Small Fountain. We’re reserved one side of the fountain for this Jewish New Year-themed “Goodyear Fair”. Look for multiple tables with pre-Rosh-Hashanah activities, tastings, giveaways and more. Stop by and bring friends!

9/17: CHALLAH BAKBA BAKE
Wednesday night before Rosh Hashanah – 8pm at Shabbos House. Make your own dough, choose your filling, make your own Babka for a sweet new year!

Rosh Hashanah begins two weeks from last night. See shabboshouse.org/HighHolidays2025 for schedule of prayers, meals and programs at Shabbos House – plus a Shofar Express on campus. Use the High Holiday RSVP form (on that page or via this link) to request a religious letter for classes, tests, etc.

Best wishes as we approach a new Jewish year 5786!

Love,
Mendel and Raizy

 

THE SALT GUESSTIMATE WINNER
Max Y. and Zane M. tied for salt guesstimate winner, both said 5 lbs 8 ounces and that was the closest guess! Thanks to all who stopped by our tabling at Block Party, those picked up our unique salt-giveaway for this year, with all of its relevant Jewish campus life messages.

HIGH HOLIDAY RSVP FORM – AND RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY LETTERS
Rosh Hashanah is almost around the corner! We put up a High Holiday RSVP form (just so we are better prepared), the form also has a spot to request a religious holiday letter for your professors. It’s best for us to write these letters working off the same form, so please use that form to request it. We will try to get them written and back to you in PDF by early next week.

All Rosh Hashanah prayers and festive meals will be at Shabbos House. We know its a class day, so we’ll also do a 10-minute Shofar-Express on campus, too. Yom Kippur’s pre-fast is at Shabbos House, all services will be on campus in CC 375 and Hillel hosts the break-fast at the end.

SAVE THESE PRE-ROSH-HASHANAH EVENT DATES:
9/13: “Midnight Selichot Jam” 12am food and music, 1am Pre-High Holidays Sat Night Selichot Prayer
9/15: “The Goodyear Shana Tova Fair” at Small Fountain, look for an apple cart, honey-tasting, activities and much more – all Rosh Hashanah themed.
9/17: “The Challah Babka Bake” a sweet twist for a sweet new year, on Wednesday night before Rosh Hashanah at Shabbos House.

Re: KOSHER – there’s been some updates, best place to keep up to date with that is via the Kosher at UAlbany Whatsapp chat.

PERSONAL UPDATES: Back on Sunday we attended an alumni wedding in Woodbury on Long Island. We saw and celebrated with a whole group of alumni from 2018-19. Our children started up Maimonides School again this week. Rivka entered 6th grade, Esther Miriam 9th grade and Bluma 12th grade. Bassie works with the High School on programming and Sara staffs the school office. Both Mendel and Raizy teach there, too! A lot went into getting first day ready and special – this year we did a bake-shop themed opening welcome and Chani did a photo-shoot for students and families. On Wednesday Raizy and Mendel drove to an alumna’s father’s funeral in Syracuse, and we met up with alumni in Medical School there, too. We spent Wednesday evening about an hour from here trying to mediate a dispute/miscommunication. Busy week and excited for Shabbat!

Looking forward to this Shabbat, and to upcoming events and good times together!

Love,
Mendel and Raizy

 

SHABBOS HOUSE
Rohr Chabad Jewish Student Center
Rabbi Mendel & Raizy Rubin, Directors
320 Fuller Road Albany NY 12203
(518) 438-4227 mail@shabboshouse.com
Mendel: 518-526-0770 Raizy: 518-772-7299