The story of Chanukah takes place during a dramatic period of Jewish history. The ancient Greek Empire conquered and occupied Israel, and proclaimed various laws prohibiting the practice of Torah.

The Shabbat Project: Step Inside

Like Abraham’s tent, the Shabbat Project is a place of shade and relief, open to every Jew.

Every Rosh Hashana, we get a fresh start – the opportunity to begin anew, to create ourselves in a new way, and put our lives on an entirely new trajectory.

Shabbat, the day we have ‘extra soul’, is a day dedicated to personal growth. We rededicate ourselves to actualising our God-given potential. And we usher out Shabbat with spices – a comfort for losing our extra soul, and a reminder to continue walking the upward path towards our best selves.

When we rush through life we can lose our spiritual eyesight. Shabbat slows us down so that we can see the world with fresh eyes, acutely aware of the beauty around us, appreciating everything as a gift from God. Living with appreciation, savouring our blessings, feeling grateful for everything we have – that is the secret to happiness.

Now is our chance to seize the gift that is Shabbat.

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.

As Shabbat approaches, we create a place for the additional neshamah by discarding much of the weekday matter we have accumulated.

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.