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Happy Chanukah! Shabbat starts on Friday at 8:14pm and ends on Saturday at 9:20pm. The weekly Torah portion is Vayeshev, Shabbat Chanukah and Shabbat Mevarchim Tevet. Rosh Chodesh is on Wednesday.
Solidarity EventTuesday, December 12th (6th night of Chanuka)
5:45 pm Ground Floor, 459 Collins Street, MelbourneListen to personal experiences and reflections from Melbourne Jewish Leaders
In conversation with
Adir Shiffman and Jeremy LeiblerRSVP 4th December, 4:00pm>> RSVP <<
Mincha at Ainsworth Property – GF/459 Collins is in recess for the summer. Join the WhatsApp group for updates.
Weekly lunch & shiur continues on Wed at 1.20pm at A-P GF/459 Collins – and via zoom. Current topic: verbal contracts. Details here and on the WhatsApp group.
Thought of the Week with thanks to Dovid Gutnick.
With Chanukah starting we have a chance, as they say in corporate speak, to change the narrative. We can, even if just for a while, set aside the tensions and pressures that abound currently and focus on light and goodness; miracles in their days and ours. Donuts and latkes may also be used as complementary therapy as your situation demands.
During our learning sessions this week, we focused on the famous question of the early lawmaker Bet Yosef about why we have eight lights/nights of Chanukah – after all if there was enough oil for 1 night and it lasted for 8, the miracle really only occurred for the latter 7 nights. For the first 24 hours of illumination, it was a natural occurrence (8-1=7; correct me if my maths is wrong).
Our favourite answer: The first light thus reminds us to celebrate “natural miracles” in our life. We began Chanukah last night with lighting the menorah, that tells the story of miracles in their days and in ours. But with this first flame in particular, on the night that the oil burned naturally rather than miraculously, a celebration of the natural “miracles” that surround us in our lives. These gifts of nature, family, friendship, community, a home, clothing, running water and food and all the other natural wonders of our lives are well worth celebrating. Last night and today, consider that single flame and its luminescence and thank God for all those large and small gifts so often taken for granted, that illuminate our life.