Tisha be'Av Gathering
Tuesday, August 13  
10:00 am

Tisha be’Av (9 Av) is a somber commemoration that recalls the two times in Jewish history (586 BCE and 70 CE) when our holy Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed (first by Babylonian, then by Roman armies) and Jews sent into exile.  The occasion is marked by a 25-hour fast (this year starting at sunset on Monday, August 12 and lasting till nightfall on Tuesday, August 13), liturgical passages of lamentation, the recitation of the Biblical book of Eichah/Lamentations, and further expressions of grief.  Tradition tells us to refrain – the way we do on Yom Kippur – from finery and festivity.  The date is also associated with many other tragedies:  the start of the Crusades, Jews’ expulsion from several European nations during the Middle Ages, the start of World War I and of the Holocaust, and later attacks on Jews.
 
This year our Tisha be'Av gathering will occur against the backdrop of present, ongoing sorrow for the Jewish people as, after ten months of warfare with rising military and civilian casualties, Israelis remain hostage in Gaza.  The occasion will provide an opening for discussion of and reflection on parallels between those tragic events from ancient Jewish history and what is happening in Israel and the Jewish world today.  The session, also including readings and prayers, will take place in our sanctuary.

Tisha B’av Evening Services

Tisha B’Av- click for virtual

The ongoing persecution of Jews across millennia has been commemorated every year on this one important day: the 9th of the month of Av, when the first and second Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed. In the light of October 7, we join again this year in remembering, mourning, and healing. Together, we will reflect on the personal and communal consequences of anti-Jewish hatred, then and now.

8pm Learning and mindfulness practice

8:45pm Special prayers and reading of the mournful Book of Lamentations/Eichah

This year, our day commemorating the destruction of the Temple seems particularly relevant given the events of October 7 and the war that followed.  To honor this day, we will combine traditional chants and prayers with a study of some of the powerful Israeli poetry written since October 7 on the themes of loss and destruction.   Come chant, be together, and hold the loss and grief of those events last fall.   

In-person ONLY.

8:00 pm Tisha B'av is the saddest day in the Jewish calendar, commomorating the destruction of the Ancient Temples of Jerusalem and other tragic events. It is a day of reflection, mourning and learning. A significant highlight of our service will be the reading of Eicha, the Book of Lamentations. The haunting melody of Eicha is moving and beautiful even as it evokes the deep sorrow of this fast day. We will offer prayers and reflections drawing upon the lessons of a Jewish commemoration which still speaks to challenges we face in our own time.

RSVP to attend Tisha B'av Services in Person

Or click here to join via Zoom!