A Different Tisha B’Av

By Rabbi Deb Smith

I have always thought of Tisha B’ Av as a remembering and a commemoration of individual events in Jewish and world history.  For me the solemnity of this holy day has been so meaningful over the years. I have studied and taught about the historical events surrounding the destruction of the First Temple whose cause we are taught is due to idolatry by our people. I have studied and taught about the destruction of the Second Temple whose cause is attributed to sinat chinam, or baseless hatred of others.

Also acknowledged and remembered on Tisha B’Av are the expulsion of the Jews from Spain during the Spanish Inquisition, the expulsion of the Jews from England, and also he Extermination of the Jews during the Holocaust.

It is important to honor and remember events in history that have impacted the Jews so profoundly. We must remember and not forget these things. But now, in contemporary times, we are faced with threats to our existence as Jews that we have perhaps not anticipated.

Antisemitism is at an historic high, the State of Israel is seen in a terribly negative light during the current War in Israel-Gaza and I truly wonder if we will be adding to the existing list of events remembered on Tisha B’Av during our lifetimes.

Remembering the past, can we save the present… ?

Remembering the past, can we save the present and change the course of the future from going down this destructive road? It is up to us. Hopefully, we can change the direction the world is heading in. May it be so!