Tuesday July 11
Today’s fast day began with a late wake up and shacharit which included some skits to explain the slicha we say about the 5 things that we commemorate on this 17th of Tammuz. After the longer-than-usual tefilah, the chanichim had a short break while the tzevet got themselves ready for an elaborate program: each eidah went around to 5 stations run by tzevet. At each station they watched a dramatic presentation which compared the long-ago mourning right after the Beit HaMikdash was destroyed and Yerushalayim overrun with the continual mourning we engage in at weddings, on fast days and in our day-to-day lives. The chanichim were moved by the scenes from 2,000 years ago through the early 20th century and to today. This program was followed by Mincha, and then the camp had a menucha time, with movies being shown for those who wanted something more thought-provoking 😉
We ended the fast like we always do, with slow shira in the indoor beit knesset, a story and maariv together. May this be the last time we fast on an anniversary of a tragedy associated with the Beit haMikdash. As we learn from the prophet Zecharya: one day these fast days will all be days of joy and celebration. Amen!
Machal traveled from Silver Spring, MD into Washington DC and spent their day at the National Holocaust Memorial museum and then had a program aboout inclusion by Yachad. They will be doing some advocacy about this issue tomorrow.
