Times: Shabbat starts tonight with candlelighting at 8:23pm, ends Saturday night at 9:25pm. Early Shabbat – light candles between 7:15pm-7:20pm. The weekly Torah portion for Shabbat is Beshalach.

Mincha in the CBD: Friday summer mincha is on today at 2.10pm using the SMS system to confirm numbers, with kugel and whisky from 2.00pm. Please respond so we can sustain a minyan. Mincha for the other days of the week is in recess until the end of DST.

Study: Wed Shiur @ Billing Bureau: 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)
IN A RUSH CAFE-616 St Kilda Road-(Ground Floor-Lowe Lippmann Building)

Thought of the Week with thanks to Michelle Coleman. Wherever there is more than one Jew there is more than one opinion… It was no different thousands of years ago as the Jewish people, newly liberated from Egyptian slavery, stood before the Reed Sea, the Egyptian army at their back. The midrash tells us that they were divided into four camps: There were those who said “It’s hopeless. Let’s throw ourselves into the sea”; there were those who said “Let’s return to Egypt, at least we will have our lives”; the third group said, “Let’s fight,” while the final group said, “Let’s pray”. Considering the situation, they all seem reasonable approaches albeit very different to each other, and we have heard groups argue similarly throughout our history.

So in this instance, how did God (via Moses) respond? “Fear not; stand by and see the salvation of God which He will show you today. For as you have seen Egypt this day, you shall not see them again, forever. God shall fight for you, and you shall be silent” (Exodus 14:13). Those who gave up hope and wanted to throw themselves in the sea are told “fear not; stand by and see the salvation of God…”. Those who wanted to return to Egypt are told “You shall not see them [Egypt] again”. “God shall fight for you” is the response to those who wished to fight, while those who suggested prayer are told “you shall be silent”. With all four options rejected, what are the Jews told to do? “Go forward” is God’s command in the next verse.
Each of the four responses has its time and place. However, when we consider our over-arching goal as Jews of bringing holiness into this world in the face of hostility and indifference, the only correct response is to “go forward”. When we do this, amazing things happen.

Based on the teachings of the Lubavitche Rebbe.