Lampert Library

Tu B’What?

by Aileen Grossberg

tubav2Tonight (Thursday, July 26) and tomorrow mark Tu B’Av.

What!  You never heard of it?

Tu B’Av may be the best kept secret of a special day on the Jewish calendar.

Not be confused with Tu B’Shevat  or Tisha B’Av, Tu B’Av has its own identity and vibe.

The Fifteenth of Av, coming just about a week after the Ninth of Av, a day of mourning, is almost its polar opposite.

tub'av3There’s dancing and singing and flirting and pairing off. Before the temple fell in 70 C.E., the day was a matchmaker’s dream for it was when unmarried women were to find their mates.

The moon, often associated with romance, is full on that night and it’s the end of the grape harvest.

According to Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel “There were no better (i.e. happier) days for the people of Israel than the Fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur, since on these days the daughters of Israel/Jerusalem go out dressed in white and dance in the vineyards. What were they saying: Young man, consider whom you choose (to be your wife)? (Ta’anit, Chapter 4)”…sort of the Jewish Valentine’s Day which , of course originated as a Christian celebration.

The day is celebrated in modern Israel with song and dance in the evening.

tubavInteresting isn’t it that instead of celebrating love and romance in the midst of winter, we Jews celebrate in the midst of summer. So take your beloved out tonight; sing and dance and live it up.

And if you don’t have a partner, tonight’s the night to go searching for one.

And don’t forget to say,” I love you” to those you love.

A LOVELY reading list:

All the Rivers (Rabinyan) – a contemporary Romeo and Juliet story between an Israeli and a Palestinian

About the night (Talshir) – a cross-cultural love story set in a divided Jerusalem

tubav4Among the Living (Rabb) – can love overcome a tragic past?

Hebrew Love Poems (Gross)

History of Love (Krauss) – a story of loss and survival

Love and Treasure (Waldman) – heartbreaking story of love, politics, and family secrets, set against historical events

The Marriage of Opposites (Hoffman) – a forbidden love story based on real characters

The Marrying of Chani Kaufman (Harris) – characters are forced to make choices about love and desire

A Pigeon and a Boy (Shalev) – wartime story of doomed young love

Song of Songs: Shir Hashirim

A Tale of Love and Darkness (Oz)

  • Aileen Grossberg

    Aileen Grossberg, a professional librarian, is a long-time congregant and serves as volunteer librarian for Shomrei's Lampert Library. The library, one of the best-kept secrets at Shomrei is used by the Rabbi, congregants, students and teachers of the JLC (Hebrew School) and Preschool. It's a tremendous resource completely supported by your donations and gifts. Aileen also heads the Shomrei Caterers, the in-house food preparation group. Can there be any better combination…good food and good books!

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