Here’s your “homework” for the week of Parashat BeShalach and for Shabbat Shira

This year, on the Shabbat of parshat Vayeira, let us begin a journey to a brighter Jewish future, let us model our homes on the home of Abraham and Sarah. Let each of us make our home a sanctuary, a spiritual safe-haven, a place of kindness and warmth, faith and connection, filled with the light and joy of Shabbat.

When we are faced with dark times in a dark world, we have two choices: we can curse the darkness or we can bring light into the darkness.

The Jewish people have an incredible spiritual and musical heritage. One of the most meaningful parts of the Shabbat meal is when we sing Shabbat songs.

Senator Joe Lieberman writes: 'Flowers on Friday afternoon is as much a gesture of respect and love for Shabbat as it is one of respect and love for my wife.'

One need not be pious to accept the cherished principle of Shabbat. One merely needs to be a proud Jew,' said Menachem Begin, when he called for El Al to cease operations on Shabbat.

“ We ask that we should truly feel that we lack nothing and that the world and ourselves are complete on Shabbat.”

Unsure what to cook for Shabbat post-Shabbat Project? Holocaust survivor Miriam Karimzadeh has a unique German spin on Persian favourite, Tadig – and it’s caught the eye of celebrities and celebrity foodies worldwide.

Read Miriam’s story.

The digital revolution has blurred the lines between time on and time off, and time off is disappearing.

The day of rest reminds me that changing the world begins with improving myself.

This is our time as a family – when I put my phone down, when it’s just us around the table, the candles glowing, the wine sweet.

As good as we are at Shabbat compliance, there seems to be one component we can’t shut off, even on the Sabbath: the voices in our heads.