Times: Candlelighting is Friday 4:52pm; Shabbat ends Saturday 5:52pm. The weekly Torah Portion is Nasso.

Pre-Shavuot Lunch:
It’s a short work week, so we will keep things short and sweet! Please join us on Monday for a pre-Shavuot special cheese-fest mini-lunch on from 12:45pm at Level 5 South, 459 Collins St, with mincha at 1.00pm.

Mincha in the CBD: Mincha next week is only on for Monday at our usual location at Level 5 South, 459 Collins St, at 1.00pm

Study: Mon 12.30 @ East Melb Shule; Wed 1.15 Shiur in recess due to Shavuot.

Kosher Food in the CBD: Kosher sandwiches and snacks provided by Sidewalk Cafe under Kosher Australia hashgacha are available at the following locations:
-CBW Express- 181 William Street (Open late until 9pm)
-Pronto on Flinders – 335 Flinders Lane
Kosher sandwiches and snacks delivered daily to the CBD.
SANDWICHES: egg mayonnaise and tomato, tuna mayonnaise and pickles, smoked salmon and herbed cream cheese, crisp lettuce, sliced cheese, tomato, cucumber and salad. SNACKS: natural berry yogurt with oat cluster crumble, fresh fruit salad, mixed berry muffin

Thought of the Week with thanks to Geoff Bloch. This week’s parashah, Naso, contains the laws of the Nazarite, the most prominent of whom were the prophets Shimshon and Shmuel. But although they undertook a lifelong commitment, the Torah clearly recognises nezirut as only a temporary commitment.

The Torah recognises that most of us have a yearning for spirituality and for a holy connection to Hashem but for a variety of reasons, that yearning is episodic and will wax and wane over time. We cannot always live up to our best ideals without meeting the hurdles and misfortunes which can challenge us religiously and spiritually.

We don’t need to be a Shimshon or a Shmuel; we don’t have to be perfect and there is no minimum standard of religiosity or spirituality which we must satisfy. Our pursuit, however irregular, of a spiritual connection with Hashem – our search for meaning – is always a legitimate and desirable objective.