Tisha B’Av.
Tisha B’Av in Jerusalem, Israel, is like nowhere else in the world.
At night, as the sky grows dark, the Jerusalem streets near the Old City swell with people walking towards the Kotel, Western Wall. Tens of thousands went last night, but I wasn’t able to walk this year as usual.
A model of the Temple was lit one night from the Aish World Center rooftop. The Golden Dome of the Rock, which was built over the site of its destruction, can be seen at the top of this image.
For those who have not been to Jerusalem and toured the areas being rediscovered, here is a 2-minute video to give you an idea of what it was before the Roman destruction.
These stones were left where they fell so many centuries ago along the base of the Western Wall.
I missed walking around the walls last night and the views on the eastern side of the Old City Walls.
Last year, I got a photo of Mercy Gate as we walked by on the way to Lion’s Gate and back to the Kotel.
Ten years ago, on the night of Tisha B’Av, as every year, tens of thousands came and sang slow songs.
The Western Wall Heritage Foundation shared photos from last night of the annual scene.
And there on the rivers of Babylon told their story,
for generation after generation.
Many Jews returned to Zion with the prophets Ezra and Nehemiah,
But many wealthy families remained.
Now 2500 years later,
Many have returned to Jerusalem, Israel, and others have not.
This has been an especially hard Tisha B’Av on a personal and national level.
The situation in Gaza, with 50 hostages, and world support growing for the terrorists, is hard to see.
Next year in Jerusalem!
