The inevitable happened last night. I joined the wrong Tisha B’Av service. I dislike cliches at the best of times, but “only in Israel,” I concede, captures that experience. No puns intended.

“Ugh! C’mon, where’s the gold?” I grumbled under my breath as my phone’s camera refused to focus on the perfect panorama in front of me. “It’s the lighting,” I sighed. Then, I suppressed a laugh.

For there I was, a Jewess on Tisha B’Av in the State of Israel in 2026, using the Dome of the Rock – the spiritual edifice, the heart of it all, whatever it all may be – to center a photograph. Of the Old City, I might add. If you have ever physically overlooked Jerusalem on a scorching summer’s day, describing the sunlight as blinding is not metaphoric.

Thankfully, our Sages decided to read the Book of Lamentations (Eicha) at night.

I abandoned the chance of a sunset photograph which I’d hoped to share with loved ones, and I meandered onwards – I had time to spare before Ma’ariv. Multiple groups of police officers walked by me. No one seemed concerned. Their drone however, for the sake of public service improvement, was infuriating. I don’t think Eicha was meant to include musical accompaniment supplied by a robotic fly.

But I guess – it being Tisha B’Av and all – it........

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