Tisha B’Av: A Day of Loss and Longing

Tisha B’Av—literally the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av—is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar. It’s when we remember the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem, but the losses go far beyond that. On this day, Jewish history records national tragedies across centuries: from ancient military defeats to the Spanish Inquisition and the expulsion of Jews from England. Even the Holocaust echoes some of the pain rooted in this date.

Tisha B’Av is a 25-hour fast, beginning at sunset. People avoid food, drink, bathing, music, greetings, and more—creating space for reflection. Synagogues dim their lights. People sit on the floor. The haunting words of Lamentations are read aloud. It’s an intense experience, especially for those unfamiliar with it.

But beneath all that mourning is a deeper idea: by remembering what was destroyed, we reconnect with what matters. The Temple wasn’t just a building—it symbolized unity, meaning, and connection. Tisha B’Av asks us to think: What are we missing today? Where can we rebuild?

There’s even a whisper of hope in the day. Some traditions clean their homes after midday—getting ready, not for sadness, but for redemption.

You don’t have to be religious to feel Tisha B’Av. You just have to care that something precious was lost—and believe it’s worth restoring.