Is it possible to get the jQuery object from a $(‘#myElement’)?

I’m working in a mixed environment of prototype/scriptaculous and jQuery. Not my implementation, but now it’s my problem: I’m working to remove prototype/scriptaculous everywhere and replace both with vanillaJS as time permits.

In the meantime, let us say I have a DOM element, jQuery’d like this:

$(“#myElement”)

Is it possible to get the jQuery object from this so I don’t have to pass ‘$’ from function to function as an extra parameter? e.g.:

function foo($) {
    const myElement = $("#myElement");
    ...do some stuff to myElement here...
    bar(myElement);
}

function bar(myElementIn) {
    const $ = {somehow get the jQuery object from myElementIn};
    ...do more stuff with other elements related to myElementIn...
}

Longshot, I’m sure, but figured it was worth asking.