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
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Fast Forward No Tisha B’Av Fast for Israeli Soldiers in Gaza
Israeli soldiers talking part in the Gaza operation are exempted from fasting on Tisha b’Av, the chief rabbis of Israel ruled. Rabbis David Lau (Ashkenazi) and Yitzhak Yosef (Sephardi) presented their ruling on Jewish law, or halachah, on Monday — the fast was to begin at sundown. “As IDF soldiers are standing on the frontline…
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Opinion A Punk Rocker, Tisha B’Av and Our Love of History
The receptionist looked horrified. Well, maybe I exaggerate a bit. But she was definitely taken aback by the visitor, whose longish reddish hair, wrap-around sunglasses, piercings, leather jacket (over a tee) and boots set him apart from most of the people who are usually buzzed into Agudath Israel’s offices. I had been expecting him. He…
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Food Coconut Quinoa Comfort for Tisha B’av
Photo by Molly Yeh On these days leading up to Tisha B’av — especially in light of the current conflict in the Middle East — thinking about food doesn’t carry the joyous qualities that it typically does. It almost feels trivial. In my kitchen, this is not a time for cakes or colorful foods —…
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Life Tisha B’Av, Take One
If you’ve been raised by Orthodox parents, attended only Orthodox schools and camps, and spent two years in Israel studying Jewish topics, it can be a bit embarrassing to realize that after 24 years, you have to check Chabad.org to remember all the rules of Tisha B’Av. But until now, I didn’t need to remember…
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The Schmooze A Tisha B’Av Service Unlike Any Other
On the night that Jews around the world mourn the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, here was a Tisha B’Av service unlike any other: Neshama Carlebach singing her father’s mournful, hopeful compositions and Basya Schechter singing her lovely iteration of “Eicha.” The service was dubbed “Shattered Shrines” and was led by Amichai Lau-Lavie, the…
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The Schmooze And on The Ninth Day, They Prayed
Yesterday evening marked the beginning of Tisha B’Av, the annual fast day which commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples and the subsequent exile of the Jews from the Holy Land. Regarded as the saddest day in the Jewish calendars, all pleasurable activities are forbidden. As in a period of mourning, there is…
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Fast Forward Temple Mount Closed to Jews on Tisha B’Av
The Jerusalem Police closed the Temple Mount to Jewish visitors a day after Arabs protested such visits. The closure on Tuesday coincided with the fast of Tisha B’av, a day of Jewish mourning for the destruction of the two Jewish Temples that were located on the site. Police reportedly closed the site to Jewish and…
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Culture Honoring Sorrow and Remembering Franz Kafka on Tisha B’Av
The other night, over frozen peanut-butter pie, I spoke to my children about Auschwitz. A Sabbath guest had mentioned his father’s unfortunate childhood and I seized the opportunity to discuss tattoos. My teenage children knew of the terrible numbering technique but my eight-year-old was baffled. Genocide makes for awkward dessert conversation. “On their arms?” wondered…
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