- NEWS & COMMENTARY
Opposition continues despite new Boy Scout policy
In 2001, Temple Israel of Hollywood (TIOH) overwhelmingly decided to end its sponsorship of Cub Scout Pack 1300 to protest the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) policy banning openly gay…
Jews should get offended
If there’s one thing the Palestinians are great at, it’s saying no. For years now, many peace-loving Jewish heads have been bruised from banging against the brick wall of Palestinian rejectionism.
NSA and JEW
If you ever needed a sign that Jews feel fully integrated and accepted by society, consider this: Not one major Jewish group made a peep over the revelations of National Security Agency (NSA) surveillance.
- HOLLYWOOD
“Curb” star Jeff Garlin spends two days in jail following parking lot confrontation
Actor Jeff Garlin ("Curb Your Enthusiasm") was released from a Van Nuys jail yesterday, at approximately 7:30 a.m., according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) website. An incident…
‘Man of Steel’ screenwriter David S. Goyer on Superman and religion
“People are always so quick to point out the Christ allegory in “The Man of Steel” but Superman has always struck me as a combination of Old Testament and New…
Superman is a Jewish Fantasy
This past week my wife surprised me with tickets to the new Superman movie “Man of Steel” for my birthday. So late Saturday night, we sat in a packed movie…
- LIFE & CULTURE
Archie Comics feature film in the works
Archie comics lovers, rejoice!
Israel’s SodaStream inks deal with KitchenAid
The Israeli company SodaStream agreed to develop a home system for making carbonated drinks for KitchenAid appliances.
Barbra Streisand receives Honorary Doctorate from The Hebrew University
Barbra Streisand, after receiving an honorary doctorate from The Hebrew University, stands in front of the plaque of the Institute of Jewish Studies Building, established in 1984 in honor of…
- BLOGS
Summer Peaches Are Here
I always figured peaches were a super sugary fruit as they are so darn good. But it is not so. Peaches: are often less than 100 calories, making them a…
The Power of Language: Cultivating Positive Emotions
Language affects the heart. When we’re surrounded by others who speak negatively, it can really affect our mood and disposition. Are we aware of how much negative language there is…
Attention Forward: We Aren’t That Radical
It has been said that most of us believe newspaper reporting to be generally accurate, until we read an article on a subject with which we are intimately familiar. It…
- JUDAICA STORE
- INFO
Mobile
Read the JJ
Community/Events
Advertisement
July 19, 2010 | 12:29 pm
The message of Yud B’Av
Posted by Elie Lowenfeld, Jewish Disaster Response Corps
Follow JewishJournal.com on 
As we approach the 9th of Av, we have been considering what the message of the 9th of Av is for us, as people working with individuals and communities that have suffered great disasters.
At first we thought that the message was one of commiseration: The survivors of hurricanes, floods, and other disasters, have suffered a great loss; we, too, have suffered a great loss, one that we commemorate even today, 2,000 years later.
But the more we thought about it, the more we realized that the message we needed to learn from Thisha B’Av was not about the 9th of Av at all. We needed to learn the message of the Tenth of Av (Yud B’Av).
Yud B’Av is a day of hope. It is the day when someone comes out into the rubble and lifts the first stone. It is a day still tinged with sadness, when we remember the destruction that has befallen us—but at the same time, it is the day we begin to look forward, knowing that there will be a tomorrow that will be better than today.
Communities that have been hit by disasters need many things on their Yud B’Av. They need the basics (food, water, shelter), they need manpower (contractors, plumbers, roofers, volunteers), and they need materials. But one thing that is often over looked after a disaster is the need for hope.
We at the JDRC try to bring the message of Yud B’Av to communities affected by disasters. We come in the day after devastation, to pick up the first stone. We don’t just tell the community that there will be a brighter tomorrow—we show them, by rolling up our sleeves and working with them to help them get there.
The Jewish Journal believes that great community depends on great conversation. So, jewishjournal.com provides a forum for insightful voices across the political and religious spectrum. Most bloggers are not employees of The Jewish Journal, and their opinions are their own. Our entire blog policy is here. Please alert us to any violations of our policy by clicking here. (editor@jewishjournal.com). If you'd like to join our blogging community, email us. (webmaster@jewishjournal.com).
An Office of Passionate People: My Internship Experience in Jerusalem
8.15.12 at 4:25 am | After Birthright, Meirav knew she wanted to play. . .
Leaving a Career in Television for Israel
5.7.12 at 3:29 pm | A great job in LA just wasn't enough. I headed to. . .
Reflections from a Year in Tel Aviv
4.16.12 at 1:53 pm | One year following her internship in Tel Aviv,. . .
A Kibbutz State of Mind
1.26.12 at 8:56 am | After quitting her corporate job and applying to. . .
Teaching English Underground: My Gap Year in Southern Israel
12.6.11 at 8:52 am | During her gap year in Israel, Michal taught. . .
Putting My Learning Into Practice: Tikkun Olam in Jerusalem
11.23.11 at 2:11 pm | Michal took her studies out of the classroom and. . .
The Machlis Experience: Learning the True Meaning of Hospitality
3.11.11 at 9:34 am | The Machlis family did not know me--nor the 200. . . (9)
Striving for a New Israel Education
10.17.11 at 3:10 pm | After his gap year in Israel, Mike confirmed his. . . (2)
Achieving Progress Through Friendship: An Experience of a Lifetime at Tel Aviv University
11.9.11 at 11:32 am | Daniel grew up thinking he knew everything there. . . (1)
An Office of Passionate People: My Internship Experience in Jerusalem
Allah is Arabic for God for every Arabic speaker...Putting My Learning Into Practice: Tikkun Olam in Jerusalem
I spent time volunteering in Israel and...Leaving a Career in Television for Israel
I share your sentiments exactly. Judaism is just...
When Its Not About You
My favorite is seiapcl date recipe is to pit the...A Kibbutz State of Mind
Your story nicely sums up the experience so many...
Discovering Life Lessons in Ancient Texts
Thank you very much for the insight about tikkun...
More from JewishJournal.com
COMMENTS
We welcome your feedback.
Privacy Policy
Your information will not be shared or sold without your consent. Get all the details.
Terms of Service
JewishJournal.com has rules for its commenting community.Get all the details.
Publication
JewishJournal.com reserves the right to use your comment in our weekly print publication.
Blog Extras
masa israel journey israel jerusalem tikkun olam jewish tel aviv volunteering hebrew university social justice kotel gap year study abroad oranim pardes institute of jewish studies young judaea year course jewish agency for israel kibbutz rockets women's rights volunteer bar ilan university israel way western wall sach tau rash conservative yeshiva morocco midreshet harova internship experience repairing the world yom haatzmaut masa israel program israel gap year gaza jdrc mourning machlis masa
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
| |||||||||
Site Sections
Newspaper
- Current Edition
- Archive
- Contact Us
- FAQ
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Site Map
- Advertise
- Site Credits
Serving a community of 600,000, The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles is the largest Jewish weekly outside New York City. Our award-winning paper reaches over 150,000 educated, involved and affluent readers each week. Subscribe here.
© Copyright 2013 Tribe Media Corp.
All rights reserved. JewishJournal.com is hosted by Nexcess.net. Homepage design by Koret Communications.
Widgets by Mijits. Site construction by Hop Studios.
