Tisha B’Av

Tisha B'Av

Tisha B’Av 101

Tisha B'Av, the ninth day of the month of Av, is the major day of communal mourning in the Jewish calendar.

Tisha B'Av

The Three Weeks

The destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem is commemorated with a period of mourning.

Bible

The Book of Eicha: Faith in a Whirlwind

At the core of Lamentations is an expression of faith in the human capacity to survive in a broken world.

Why Tisha B’Av is Not Really About Mourning

The practices associated with this holiday are closer to the experience of being a refugee than to being a mourner.

When Prayer Fails Us

Tisha B'Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, is testament to the failure of prayer to avert national catastrophe.

The Book of Lamentations

This special reading for Tisha B'Av sets the tone for this tragic and mournful day

By the Rivers of Babylon We Remember Zion

This famous psalm is read on the eve of Tisha B'Av and sets the tone for an emotionally challenging holiday.

The Prohibition Against Studying Torah on Tisha B’Av

Why would learning sacred Jewish texts be forbidden on this day of fasting and mourning?

When Do Jews Fast?

In addition to Yom Kippur, there are many public and private fasts in Judaism.

Tisha B’Av Rituals and Practices

Mourning the destruction of both temples, as well as a number of other Jewish tragedies.

Tisha B’Av FAQ

Your questions about the Jewish day of mourning answered.

12 Things To Know About the Temple in Jerusalem

On Tisha B’Av, Jews mourn the destruction of the Temple. But how much do you know about what it was really like?

Kinot: Poems of Lament

These mournful poems are the central part of the liturgy of Tisha B'Av.

What Are the Nine Days?

In this period leading up to Tisha B'Av, Jews traditionally abstain from eating meat.

Tisha B’Av 2021

In 2021, Tisha B'Av begins at sunset on Saturday, July 17.