Tish B'av

Posted on 07/29/2012 @ 11:47 PM

Tish B’av

Today marked Tish B’av, the saddest holiday in the Hebrew calendar. It commemorates the destruction of both the First and Second Temple in Jerusalem. While the day recalls general tragedies which have befallen the Jewish people over the ages, we decided to link his holiday to current events that are occurring in our own communities.

We started the holiday Saturday evening, right after Havdalah. Setting the mood we talked about some of the tragedies that occur in today’s society, such as lack of education, economic devastation and hunger. We lit candles for each modern disaster, and began reflection on our journeys at our service sites throughout the Chicago area.

This afternoon we headed off to the Chicago Holocaust museum to pay respect for our ancestors. As we walked through each corridor we found ourselves not only mourning the death of millions, but also celebrating our life, and our future as Jewish leaders. Even though this is considered the saddest day, we ended with a message of hope singing Hatikvah, the national anthem of Israel.