Times: Shabbat and Pesach start, and first seder tonight with candlelighting at 5:26pm; Second seder on Saturday night 23/4; light candles after 6:22pm; First Days of Pesach end Sunday night (24/4) at 6:21pm; Chol Hamoed Pesach from Monday (25/4) -Thursday (28/4). Last Days of Pesach start on Thursday night (28/4) with candlelighting at 5:18pm; Eighth night of Pesach is Friday night (29/4) light candles at 5:17pm; Pesach and Shabbat end Saturday night at 6:14pm.
Friday Mincha in the CBD: Will resume on 6 May.
Mincha in the CBD: Chol Hamoed Pesach Schedule:
No Minyan on Monday due to Public Holiday.
Tuesday and Wednesday one Minyan at 1.00pm- No lunch.
Melbourne Room of St. James complex near the corner of Little Collins Street and Church St. Click here for a map. For more information click here.
Email stjames.mincha@gmail.com to be added to the list for any daily updates.
Study: Wednesday shiur is on recess at the moment.
Kosher Food in the CBD: Please note there will be no kosher food available over Pesach.
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:
IMPORTANT NOTE: the two CBD locations are not reliably stocking kosher products due to low demand. One of two things will happen: either they will stop carrying them, or more people will start buying and it will be worthwhile for them.
1932 Café– Ground floor –Manchester Unity Building- 220 Collins Street. Melbourne.
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 Yehuda Gottlieb. The main section of ‘maggid’ (the part of the Haggada that discusses the Exodus) begins somewhat unexpectedly. Instead of discussing Egypt and Pharaoh, the first verse that we elaborate on talks about Lavan and Yaakov. Why is this episode in particular given this focus on Seder night? The answer is seemingly that Lavan was an example of someone who wanted to wipe out the Jewish people just as Pharoah did.
This particular pasuk (tze ulmad) is mentioned in the Haggada right after the passage of “v’hi sheamdah” which talks about the trials and tribulations that the Jewish people face in every generation. The Ma’aseh b’Rabbi Eliezer states that the story of Lavan was chosen specifically to illustrate the deep and irrational drive of the Gentile nations who wish to wipe out the Jewish people. Lavan wishes to destroy Yaakov and his family, even though this affects his own daughters and grandchildren. This is how far the deep seated hatred exits between the nations and the Jewish people and emphasises the importance of the study of Torah and the covenant between G-d and the Jewish people that has protected us and will continue to protect us throughout time.