This is the Forward’s coverage of the Jewish holiday of Tish’a B’av, which commemorates the destruction of Jerusalem’s ancient temple (the Second Temple) by the Romans in the year 70, and other historic tragedies.
Tisha B’Av
The Latest
-
Culture Zealotry is dividing Israel — and a groundbreaking film shows it’s not the first time
'Legend of Destruction' details the Jewish civil war that ultimately led to the destruction of the Temple.
-
Fast Forward Opponents of Israel’s judicial overhaul see parallels in Tisha B’Av, this week’s Jewish day of mourning
As Tisha B’Av approaches, some protesters of the recent law weakening the judiciary fear that it could lead to another catastrophe
-
Opinion I’m devastated by Israel’s judicial overhaul, but I’m still moving there
Israel needs us now more than ever
-
Opinion The Israel we know has fallen
The battle over the future of Israel — can it be both democratic and religious — goes on
-
Opinion How to be sad on Tisha B’av
Here are nine strategies to get in the right headspace on the saddest day of the Jewish calendar.
-
Community This Tisha B’Av, the Hagia Sophia teaches us about reclaiming sacred spaces
When the Roman Emperor, Justinian I, dedicated Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia as a cathedral, he is said to have proclaimed, “Solomon, I have surpassed thee.” Indeed, the church-turned mosque-turned museum is an architectural wonder of the world, a gem that inspires devotion. Understandably, therefore, faithful Muslims were distraught when in 1934 Ataturk secularized the mosque. How…
-
Community Why do we commemorate times of destruction?
All of this heaviness that we, as Americans, have been feeling in recent months is exacerbated by where we, as Jews, find ourselves in the calendar year. As we enter the heat of summer, we land in the scorching energy of two Jewish commemorations: The Seventeenth of Tammuz and Tisha B’Av (the 9th of Av)….
-
Community This Tisha B’Av, remember John Lewis
It’s Tisha B’av – the darkest day in the Jewish calendar. We remember the destruction. We mourn the loss of the First and Second Temples. We recall Crusades and pogroms that happened on this same day in years gone by. And each year, after the fasting and the mourning of Tisha B’av, comes Shabbat. This…
Explore
Most Popular
- 1
Culture ‘My mayor Muslim, my bagel Jewish’ — the Knicks chant capturing New York’s soul
- 2
Books In ‘Something We Said,’ Richard Pryor’s daughter finds words to discuss the unspeakable
- 3
Opinion It’s time for Jews who love Israel to give up on Zionism
- 4
Opinion Progressive Jews are trying out post-Zionism. There’s one big flaw in their approach
In Case You Missed It
-
Yiddish World מע קען שוין אָנגעבן אויף דער י. י. סיגאַל פּרעמיע 2026The 2026 J. I. Segal Award for Yiddish literature is now accepting submissions
-
Opinion Cultural boycotts of Israel just reached peak absurdity
-
Culture The Jewish friendship that let David Hockney experience ‘dangerous perfection’
-
Opinion Aristotle, Jewish ethics and the vexing case of Graham Platner