Times: Shabbat starts tonight with candlelighting at 7:49pm, ends Saturday night at 8:52pm. Early Shabbat – light candles between 6:45pm-6:50pm. The weekly Torah portion for Shabbat is Toldos.

Mincha in the CBD: Mincha will continue Mon-Thurs at 1.45pm at Level 5, South Tower, 459 Collins St, using the SMS reminder system to confirm numbers.

Study: Wed shiur @ Billing Bureau: about 1:15pm

Kosher Food in the CBD: Nifla Kosher Catering (KA Hechsher)
Offers Corporate Catering, specializing in individual and board room lunches. For further details visit www.nifla.com.au
10% Discount on your first website purchase. Enter promo code “FIRST TIME”. Kosher sandwiches, muffins and salads are available at the following locations:
CUPP- Manchester Unity Building- Ground Floor-220 Collins Street
CBW EXPRESS-181 William Street.(Entrance Little Bourke St)

Thought of the Week with thanks to Avi Teleki. A famous question is resolved in this week’s parsha, namely are we the product of our environment, family upbringing and community, or alternatively do we have the power to change our own lives? If we look at Rivkah, the wife of Yitzhak, she came from an idolatrous community, full of wicked forces. The commentator Rashi points out that she did not learn from their misdeeds. With her determination, she left the evil atmosphere in order to be the future wife of Yitzhak. Her strength of character is further described in this week’s parsha, when due to her Divine prophecy, she was able to help her son Yaakov to receive her husband’s blessings.

From this we can learn that in our own lives, we cannot place blame for any misgivings on our society, but rather we are charged with the mission of lifting ourselves beyond and enriching our lives with Torah and Mitzvos despite any notions to the contrary.