Please join us in Portsmouth for a Tisha b’Av Gathering on Saturday, August 6, at 8:30 pm in the Temple Israel Courtyard (or indoors in case of rain). At Tisha b’Av, we recall the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and we grieve for the many losses endured by the Jewish people throughout the ages. The destruction of the Temple also represents a rupture between God and the people and between the people and one another.

After we usher out Shabbat with Havdalah, led by Rabba Kaya Stern-Kaufman, we will join in songs and readings, including chanting and reading of the traditional verses of Lamentations as we acknowledge both ancient and contemporary “destructions.” We will begin our collective path forward by placing our stones on the Hands of Hope sculpture and end the evening by taking other stones home with us to inscribe with messages of hope.

Register at templeisraelnh.org for updates. Bring a flashlight or cellphone, a rock or stone to leave, and a blanket or chair to sit on. For more information, contact templeoffice@templeisraelnh.org or call 603-436-5301.