Times: Shabbat starts tonight at 5:06 pm, and ends Saturday night at 6:04 pm. The weekly Torah portion is Kedoshim.

Mincha in the CBD: Mincha, whisky and kugel today 1:00 pm. Mincha continues at 1:00 pm Monday to Friday using the SMS reminder system.

Study: The Wednesday shiur and lunch starts at about 1:15 pm after mincha.

Thought of the Week with thanks to Rafi Goodman. A message from the Rebbe:

The Midrash comments that God’s first act after creating the world was to plant the Garden of Eden. The verse in this week’s Torah reading states “And when you come to the land of Israel, and plant any kind of fruit-bearing tree…” implies that the same is expected of the Jewish people that upon arriving in the Land of Israel – their first project was to be agricultural planting.

The importance given to planting emphasises the centrality and fundamental psychological position of agriculture in civilization in general, as well as in spiritual life. Just as trees and plants constantly bear fruits, so too, we may not act in an environmental vacuum. We must fulfil our Divine mission in a manner that bears fruit – that impacts our lives and our surroundings in a long lasting and meaningful way.