Written by GIVEr: Ilana Paskoff
We started off Tisha B’av with reading Aicha and the nighttime kinnos. Each advisor spoke about a kinna and brought beautiful insights and stories to each one to make them more meaningful. Then we went to a candle-lit room and spoke about the extermination of the Jews in the modern world and how the world is desensitized to the violence. Erin then told us to each write down on a piece of paper what our dreams and hopes are. What our talents are and the thinks we want to accomplish in life. Then all the advisors collected the papers. We weren’t so sure why they collected then. The next thing we know we see Erin put them in a bin and light the papers on fire. She was telling us to imagine how it must feel to lose everything you have in just a split second like many of our past ancestors did in tragedy. This was such a powerful program. I’ve never experienced anything like it. We stayed up until late hours coming together and singing incredible zmiros outside. In the morning, we read and listened to more kinnos prepared by our advisors and then later on we went to the Kotel for mincha. It was such a meaningfull experience to be davening with so many Jews to end this galus. After Tisha B’av ended, we broke our fast on yummy food in cinema city! Even though this was the most meaningful Tisha B’av I have ever experienced, I pray that this will be the last one we celebrate in mourning. We want Moshiach Now ☺️☺️!!