As the sun sets on Tisha B’Av, the most sorrowful day on the Jewish calendar, we will gather to read Eicha (Lamentations)—an ancient text mourning the catastrophic destruction of Jerusalem 2,500 years ago: its women, children, animals, buildings, gates, and walls. Together, we will take turns reading from the text (bring your phone to follow along), and reflect on its relevance today.
In this era of climate chaos—of floods, fires, and mass displacement—we feel the destruction anew. Tisha B’Av offers us a moment to grieve not only the ruins of the past, but also the devastation happening now across the globe: Gaza, Congo, Sudan, Yemen, Nigeria, Syria—and here, in the United States.
As we mourn, we renew our resolve to take action. The anguished poetry of Lamentations can inspire us to support policies and practices that prevent further harm to our communities and our planet.
We are each part of the long, sacred labor of healing and repair. We refuse to look away.
Let us grieve together. Let us strengthen one another. Let us repair the world.
Schedule
🌊 6:00 PM – Potluck Dinner* (Come early (at 4 pm for a swim!))
📖 8:00 PM – 9 PM Reading of Lamentations and Community Reflection