Tisha B’Av Observances

Tisha B’Av (the fast day that is on the ninth of the Hebrew month of Av) is a period of fasting, lamentation and prayer to remember the destruction of the First and Second Temples of Jerusalem and other major disasters and tragedies that Jewish people experienced throughout history.
In observance of Tisha B’Av, a community-wide observance and service will take place on Monday, August 12 at Congregation Beth Shalom.

The evening begins at 8:15 p.m. with schmooze and singing and a Tisha B’Av MA’ARIV service follows at 8:30 pm. The observance will include interactive learning and engaging discussion and the chanting of Eicha with English summaries from the Book of Lamentations which details the destruction of Jerusalem through song and poems. This is a meaningful service with beautiful, mournful melodies, and a time for communal reflection on both painful times of our past and hope for our future. Planning this year’s observance are Hazzan Tahl Ben Yehuda along with Rabbi Larry Karol.

The community Tisha B’Av observance will continue on Tuesday, August 13 beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Kehilath Israel Synagogue. The movie, Golda will be shown at 5:30 p.m. and will be followed by a panel discussion with clergy from the Rabbinical Association
The movie follows Golda Meir, fourth prime minister of Israel and the responsibilities and decisions she faces during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. An interdenominational panel of rabbis will then discuss the resonance of the film today after October 7th and discuss how our respective communities have grappled with the wake of October7th this year.

A Mincha service will begin at 8pm led by Rabbi Moshe Grussgott and will be followed by a ten-minute Torah lesson and ending with a Maariv service. Conclusion of the fast will take place at 8:50 pm and will be followed by a light break-fast. Rabbi Moshe Grussgott is serving as the rabbinic coordinator for this program.

To indicate your attendance at both observances, register online by August 9th at https://forms.gle/VjUWcL5dpSXKQCrY6 or visit kcrabbi.org where registration link will also be posted.

For more information, visit kcrabbi.org or contact Annette Fish, Rabbinical Association Administrator/Program Director, afprogram@aol.com, 913-327-8226.