I believe that it has been close to twenty years that I lead a Tisha B’Av pilgrimage reading passages of Lamentations where either Jews or non-Jews have suffered khurban (destruction) in our day, or are in danger of khurban. While to this day we recall the destruction of our two Temples and exile as national tragedies of unfathomable proportions, today’s agony is also a bottomless pit of sorrow and suffering. From the Gaza Envelope to Palestinian shepherding communities that have been forced to flee their homes, the agony is as real for those who have suffered loss and been uprooted.

We of course will not only focus on the khurban we will confront, but also seek to strengthen our commitment to prevent the next khurban and, where possible, to bringing people home. Seeing as our tradition allows us a whisper of hope by Tisha B’Av afternoon, we will remember that we must be God’s partners in hope – in bringing about a world where every human being honors and respects God’s Image in every other human being.

For those who are interested in joining us for the morning, for minkha and and/or for the afternoon, here is the link to register. We can still accommodate.

You can participate virtually as we will go live at each stop. You will find us live on my Facebook page: Arik Ascherman.

For those of you commemorating Tisha B’Av in other ways, I wish to offer you the possibility of using the kavannah (meditation/reflection) we will recite as we carry out the unique Tisha B’Av tradition of laying tefillin at Minkha. English follows........

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