What an incredible Chanukah that was! We experienced the beauty and joy of this growing and thriving community! We are truly blessed to be a part of creating this.

• 250+ at the Capitol Lighting with Governor Greg Abbott
• 300! at Lightup Chanukah at 800 Congress - thanks to Ben Kogut, Yoni Oettinger, Ben Ward, Ian Spechler, Jerrod Kogut, Jonah Landy, Noah Sinai, Kyle Schwartz
• City Lighting with Mayor Kirk Watson
• Huge Happy Hour at Kitty Cohens - thank you Alex Vayner and Alex Ball
• Many, many beautiful menorahs lit with hundreds of lights

In answer to the many questions: yes, professional photos are coming next week along with some of the photobooth photos.

2 important pieces of news:

Meditation from Sinai is starting next Wednesday and continuing the following 3 Tuesdays. If you attend you will get $200 credit that you can use for the CYP Shabbaton in NY or any other CYP Shabbaton. There will be a Zoom option but you will need to be on camera to qualify for the credit.

The Annual YJP Matching Campaign is coming up towards the end of next week. During this campaign we will raise about 30% of the YJP annual budget.

It's a matching campaign - each dollar you donate will be matched, not once but TWICE by a group of generous donors. Meaning $50 = $150.

YJP Austin is fully community funded and all donations stay right here in the community. Meaning we don't pay membership fees to any national organization and we don't get any money from some HQ office in NY.

Donate early and feel great: yjpaustin.org/donate - you donation will be applied to the campaign and matched.

The full matching details and campaign goal are still being worked out, more info to come.

Thought for the week:

The Baal Shem Tov loved light. So his disciples always made sure to light many candles whenever they expected their master.

On one occasion, they had only a single candle and, despite their efforts, could not obtain any more. Knowing how much their master loved light, they were bitterly disappointed by their inability to provide the illumination he desired.

When the Baal Shem Tov entered the room, he told his disciples to go outside and collect the icicles that hung from the roof. He then instructed them to arrange the 'ice candles' around the room and light them. The ice burned like wax, flooding the room with light.

And so on the day after Chanukah, when there are no more candles to light, we turn to the cold and hostile realities outside our windows and light them too. 

Wishing you an uplifting Shabbat,

Rabbi Mendy & Mussy

p.s. As always, we would love to chat with you over coffee or drinks, about Judaism, or just life - reply to this email.

Of Interest

 Space dreidel keeps going and going in zero gravity

See a futuristic Hanukkah game.

 How Did the Academies of Knowledge Fail So Badly?

The Battle of Chanukah on America's Campuses

Wait. Is the Menorah hidden in the Vatican? People would like to know…

Professional Pictures coming next week - check the YJP Instagram for candids

Third Thursday Happy Hour at Kitty Cohen's

Lighting at the Texas Capitol with Governor Greg Abbott

Join Chai Society! Make Some High ENERGY!

yjpaustin.org/chai

Did you know? YJP is not funded by any umbrella organization, not locally and not nationally (no funding from Chabad HQ). This gives YOU a great opportunity. Every donation has an outsized impact - creating programs and events in this community and stays right here in this community.

  Upcoming Events: 

Make your life easy! Subscribe to the YJP Public Google Calendar and never miss an event.

Weekly Shabbat Services:



• Shabbat morning services 10:20 am
• Torah discussion and reading 11:00 am (sharp)
• Followed by Kiddush and Cholent

12/19 - New Moon Circle

12/20 - CYP Academy Meditation from Sinai

🌱 Chai Society: 

Special thanks to the Chai Society members who donate monthly to support this beautiful community

Yankee Andrusierׁ • Ronit Baum • Carolina Bueno • Duncan Bryer • Marc Cooper • Nate Firebaugh • Aviva Frank • Alex & Nellie Freiman • Paulina Flasch • Matt Ford • Gabe Gang • Pavel Gitnik • Sarah Guccione • Max Goldberg • Toba Hellerstein (NEW Member!) • Ari & Sandra Hoffman • Noah Kagan • Ben Marchiony • Michael Nadel • Yoni Oettinger • Dafnee Orduz • Ben Rosen • Itamar Shapira • Kylie Schwartz • Noah Sinai • Daniel Speiss • Cindy & Mark Sichel • Dustin Tropp • Chaim & Amanda Pollak • Avremi Zippel • David Zakariaie • Idan Zur

Join the monthly donors here - and support the community you love!

Together, we’re High Energy!

Shabbat Mikeitz

Light your candles at 5:14 pm

in Austin, TX

Shabbat Shalom, friend!

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