PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Shalom!
It is a great honor and a tremendous privilege to serve as President of UOS.
We pride ourselves on being a warm and welcoming shul.
These are exciting times for our shul. After a long pandemic-related delay, construction of our beautiful new building has begun and is expected to be completed by first quarter 2024.
We offer wonderful classes every day of the week, and our list of programs for both adults and youth is continually growing thanks to our hard-working professional staff and to the dedicated volunteers who serve on our many committees.
We are grateful for the excitement and leadership that Rabbi Sprung brings to UOS. We look forward to continued growth together in Limmud Torah, Avodat HaShem, Gemilut Chassadim, Hachnassas Orchim, and so much more. Rabbi Sprung has already given so much to our community, including many great shiurim and Divrei Torah, great programming, and compassionate pastoral care to those in need.
If you plan on visiting Houston, please contact our Hospitality Chair about Shabbos or Yom Tov hospitality at hospitality@uosh.org.
If you need mikvah-related information, please contact our Director of Mikvah at UOSMikvah@gmail.com.
For information about membership, please contact our Membership Chair at membership@uosh.org.
Please see below for the text of my most recent weekly Presidential Update.
I hope to have the pleasure of meeting you soon!
Doreen Lerner, UOS President
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Thursday March 23rd
United Orthodox Synagogues of Houston
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Dear UOS Members and Friends,
Chodesh Nisan Tov U'Mevorach!

PESACH AT UOS!
We are planning so many wonderful programs for Pesach at UOS!
Join us for Rabbi Sprung's class on how to make Pesach preparations clearer and easier!

Join us for some new ideas from Rabbi Sprung about how to make your seder fun, engaging and complete!

Please join us for our 18th annual Men's Mock Seder, in memory of Phil Brochstein z"l. It is open to all Jewish men across the Houston community. This amazing event is hosted by United Orthodox Synagogues, Beth Yeshurun, Brith Shalom, Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism, the Evelyn Rubinstein Jewish Community Center, Hebrew Order of David, and Torah Outreach Center of Houston. Please click here to register.

Join us for Rabbi Sprung's annual Shabbos HaGadol Drasha as he leads us in self-examination through a reevaluation of the legacy and lessons of Rabbi Joseph B Soloveitchik - on Shabbos April 1st at 6:20pm in Freedman Hall.

Please consider making a donation to Maot Chittim, a longstanding custom to set aside special funds and products for those in need so that they may joyously observe and celebrate Pesach. This special custom provides an opportunity for us to fulfill many mitzvot and increases the meaning of our own celebration. (Rama OH 429:1, Mishneh Berura 429:4). You can donate here.
You can fill out Mechirat (sale of) Chametz forms online here. Alternatively, download a form to bring by in person here.
Register here for our 2nd night community seder! It will be fun! It will be inspiring! It will be delicious!

Rabbi Sprung has prepared much helpful information for us and you can find it here:
Please click here for the Laws of Bedikat Chametz.
Please click here for the complete OU Passover Guide.
Please click here for a list of products that do NOT need Passover certification.
Please click here for the Kashering Kitchen appliances guide.

Happy birthday to our members who are celebrating a birthday during the coming week!
Nelson Block
Barbara Nitsun
Taya Kol
Salomon Ayach
Michael John Levy
Rachel Gladstein
Yossi Schiff
Deborah Brown
Yair Yeudai
Shir Ogorek
UPCOMING BNEI AKIVA EVENTS
Enjoy friends, food, fun and oneg tomorrow evening at the home of the Shlichim!
Cost: 7$ - contact Ori to register.

Join Bnei Akiva Houston for some pre-Pesach family fun!

Bnei Akiva Houston will be launching "Run and Remember" for the 2nd year in a row. Sign up to receive the name of a fallen soldier. On Yom HaZikaron you can go out for a run or any other form of sport in memory of that soldier.
Use this link to sign up.

OTHER UPCOMING UOS EVENTS
Please join UOS for a women-only class on Megillat Rut taught by renowned teacher Mrs Mindeleah Pollak. The class will run for 7 Mondays at 8:30 pm beginning on April 17th. To receive the class location please register here.

Join us for a moving Yom HaZikaron observance and a joyful and spirited Yom HaAtzmaut celebration! A delicious meal will be served!

We are planning a special Friends of the IDF Shabbaton for Shabbos Behar-Bechukotai, May 12-13. We greatly look forward to welcoming Rabbi Steven Weil, Chief Executive Officer of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, and IDF soldiers. This will be a unique experience and opportunity to hear their inspiring stories and spend an unforgettable Shabbos together. Plan on joining your UOS family for Shabbos dinner and Shabbos morning Kiddush with our special guests. Visit this page to register and/or sponsor the event. Contact Tali Tessler for more information and/or to serve on one of the event committees. We are grateful for sponsorships since these will allow the entire community to participate fully in this wonderful program. We will be bringing in Shabbos a little early that Friday, so that dinner will be early enough for our youngest community members to enjoy.

POLICY REMINDER

As a reminder, if you want to bring any foods into the shul, please inform the office and have approval by email from either Jeff or Rabbi Sprung. Thank you!
If you wish to use the UOS kitchen for a program or other event, an HKA-certified Mashgiach must be present (someone who is not part of your group of volunteers who are helping to run the event). We'd love to have a few congregants who are certified to serve the shul as in this role. The 3-hour online certification course, developed by HKA's Rabbi Dubin, consists of 15 modules that can be completed at your leisure. You can find the course details here. Questions? Contact Doreen Lerner or Rabbi Sprung.

Please pray for healing for:
Shim Brookman - Shimshon ben Faigel
Basha bat Chaya Elka
Sarah Shulamit bat Malkah
Eliezer ben Etel
Chaim ben Mindel Rachel
Gail Alpert - Avigail bat Sarah
Aryeh Alpert - Yisroel Aryeh ben Avigail
Tzvi ben Ratzah
If you would like to make an addition or update to this list, which will be used in the Misheberach prayer for Cholim on Shabbos mornings, please email Rabbi Sprung.
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES!
Learning opportunities continue at UOS all week long!
See page 2 of the Shabbos Bulletin for details!
PARENT-CHILD LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES!

Rabbi Sprung learns with teens and their parents for 15 minutes following Ma'Ariv on Wednesday evenings at Freedman Hall. The title of this shiur is: "Teens Talk: Growing Up Jewish in the Modern World".

We are delighted to have our Bnot Sherut Talya and Moriya on board!
Talya and Moriya would love to get to know all of us. Please sign up here to host them for a Shabbos or Yom Tov meal (must be within the Eruv). ID/Passcode: 259166/4900

All levels of donation towards our beautiful new building are most appreciated!
If you're interested in naming part of it, please contact Max Reichenthal, Capital Campaign Chair.
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To our members who are observing a Yahrtzeit in the coming days, we wish you a long life. May your loved one’s neshama have an Aliyah!
Friday 2 Nisan
Shim Brookman for mother Fanny Brookman
Robert Zurawin for mother Rose Zurawin
Harry Simon for stepmother Trude Simon
Shabbos 3 Nisan
Marilyn Kammerman for Samuel Kramer
Monday 5 Nisan
Yvonne de Leef for mother-in-law Dora de Leef
Hayley Kol for daughter Mervyn Watkins
Sybil Watkins for wife Mervyn Watkins
Wednesday 7 Nisan
Rabbi Mark Urkowitz for son Harry Urkowitz
Alisha Klapholz for friend Henry Seigel
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With warm wishes for a restful, peaceful, and meaningful Shabbos,
Doreen.
Doreen Lerner
President, United Orthodox Synagogues of Houston
doreenlerner@sbcglobal.net
713-444-8587
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