Ninth of Av in Israel

The Festivals and Events in Israel span occasions of varied flavors. Sharing the Jewish calendar, there are festive days as well as days for mourning the tragic phases of Jewish history. The festivals of Israel generally bear a religious flavor as most of them stem from events mentioned in the Bible, or from traditions that the Jewish community had been performing since ages. The Ninth of Av, or Tisha BeAv is one such occasion which the Jews observe to lament for a loss that had occurred centuries back.

The Ninth of Av stands as one of the most tragic dates in Jewish history. As the day marks an incident that spells a grave loss for the Jews, the community observes it with a solemn note. The Ninth of Av is believed to be the day on which the ancient Jews were forbidden to enter Israel and Jerusalem was robbed of its sanctity as the Temple was ruined. As the tragic events shadowed the stature of the Jews, the day stands in history as a time for repenting the misfortune. The Ninth of Av in Israel, as in the other Jewish communities, is naturally devoted to recounting the distress which had fallen on them. Though the day is not a national holiday, the Jews meticulously observe the Ninth of Av in July each year.

The Ninth of Av in Israel is observed with a number of rituals which accompany any
Jewish festival. As the event commemorates a tragic tale, the rituals naturally bear a somber color. The Jewish community inflicts on itself a number of restrictions to match the tragic note. Fasting forms the most important custom of the Ninth of Av. In fact, the fast of Tisha BeAv is one of the most sternly observed fasts for the community. Unlike most of the fasts, the one on Ninth of Av lasts for an entire day. The day involves a number of other rituals, like refraining from any form of merriment or luxury, sitting on a low seat, not washing oneself for the day, etc. Even reciting the Torah is forbidden for the day, as Torah is believed to bring joy to the Jews. The Ninth of Av at Israel is thus a day when the entire country stands still in a sincere lament of the past events.