Tisha B’Av is July 29-30, 2009
Tisha B’Av, the 9th day of the Jewish month of Av, is an ancient day of mourning, commemorating the destruction of the First Temple in Jerusalem by the Babylonian Empire in 586 BCE, and the second Temple’s destruction by the Roman Empire in 70 CE. Over time, mourning other disasters which have befallen the Jewish people has been added to this day’s ritual. The day is a reflection of the Jewish people’s statelessness and homelessness over many generations, and the vulnerability of that situation.
Jews who live in the Pacific Northwest also annually complain that it is difficult to mourn when the weather is so perfect! So this year we will do something a little different: Join us for an observance of the end of the Fast Day of Tisha B’Av, Thursday July 30 at 8pm at Bridgeport. Instead of sitting on the ground and reading Lamentations, we will watch the sun set on a new horizon, one which calls us both to remember sadness and to balance it with future hope. We’ll pray a bit, sing a bit, and eat a bit. Please bring a dairy dish to share.
