Times: Shabbat starts tonight with candle lighting at 8:14pm, and ends Saturday night at 9:14pm. The weekly Torah portion is Yitro.

Mincha in the CBD: Mincha is on summer break. We will gauge demand in early Feb once people are back from holidays.

Study: The Wednesday shiur & lunch takes place at 1.00pm at Billing Bureau.

Kosher Food in the CBD: Glicks delivery in the CBD: We are thrilled to announce Glicks online. We now come to you! Whether it’s for one person or corporate catering for 100, we have a delicious range of filled bagels, fruit, danish, muffins, drinks and club sandwiches. The food is beautifully presented and we deliver twice a  day anywhere in Melbourne including the CBD. Gluten free choices are also available.We are offering a huge 20% off all orders till end February (excluding delivery). Go to www.glicks.com.au and enter promo code glicks2018 to receive the discount.

Thought of the Week with thanks to Gaby Silver. I was recently stopped on the street by a lovely lady who, seeing my yarmulke and tzitzis exclaimed “Excuse me, but may I bless you?”. With what I hope was a degree of poise, I responded; “Of course, thank you, but why?”. The lady smiled and explained; “You are Jewish. Our blessings and our salvation come through you”. I gratefully accepted the blessing, and offered her one back in return before moving on with my day. How extraordinary and wonderful, I thought, to be part of something that a stranger on the street can recognise as being special.

In this week’s Torah reading, Yisro, too, made a similar observation. He blessed the Jewish people and was blessed himself. Ultimately, he took it a step further and joined the Jewish nation, but the initial motivation was the same: a recognition of G-dliness and acceptance of the exalted place that we as a nation hold in the Divine plan for the universe. That place was established by our Patriarch Avraham and cemented for all eternity when we received the Torah on Mount Sinai as described in this week’s reading.

As we stand to hear the Ten Commandments read in shul this Shabbos, it is worth reflecting on the profound blessing and weighty responsibility that we have to spread G-d’s light through the entire world and uphold His word.