Holidays FAQ – Tisha B’Av

Tisha b’Av is the anniversary of several tragic events in Jewish history. These include the destruction of the First Jerusalem Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BCE, the Second Jerusalem Temple by the Romans in 70 CE, the expulsion of the Jews from England in 1290 and from Spain in 1492.

Although Tisha B’Av is a dark day in the Jewish year, a day of mourning and remembrance of suffering and the dead, it is also a day that gives expression to what Rabbi Leo Baeck called the ‘eternal optimism’ of the Jewish people. We still put our hope in the force of goodness, in our belief that as God has compassion and concern for the world and all its creatures, so too must we learn greater compassion and decency, greater concern and love to be able to live with hope for the future and to be the best possible individuals we can be.

The Hebrew words actually refer to the date, the 9th of Av. This falls in the summer, in July or August.

It is a fast day, second only in solemnity to Yom Kippur. In traditional synagogues the Book of Lamentations is read, and in earlier times, Jews would even put on sackcloth and cover their heads in ashes as a sign of mourning for the destruction of the Temple.

A number of Liberal synagogues now mark Tisha B’Av. However, historically Liberal Judaism did not mark the holiday because of the festival’s association with the Temples.

When Liberal Jews and synagogues mark Tisha B’Av they often commemorate other catastrophies and tragedies in Jewish history, alongside the destruction of the Temples.

Liberal Judaism affirms that the modern synagogue is a much greater and inspiring institution for worship.

As the date of Tisha B’Av falls at the height of the summer, it is often marked by LJY-Netzer on summer events which overlap with the festival.