Tisha B’Av is traditionally a day of mourning and fasting that commemorates major calamities over the course of Jewish history, such as the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem and the expulsion of Jews during the Spanish Inquisition, among others. Traditional observance of Tisha B’Av focuses on fasting, prayer, and refraining from the activities prohibited on days of mourning.

If Humanistic Jews observe Tisha B’Av, they do so by reflecting on the often tragic history of the Jewish people, affirming and appreciating the power of human connection in times of sorrow.