“Tonight, We Don’t Study Torah”!, calls one poster of many, offering contemplative learning opportunities. “Full Belly – about Solidarity” (or maybe in English is would be, pour your heart out), calls another, “Siege From Within, An Evening of Mourning and Conversation” and simply, “A Night of Learning”. Those are just a few of the posters which covered Jerusalem’s billboards in the days leading to Tish’a Be’av.

The evening of and the day itself saw literally hundreds gather in various places throughout the city: religious charedi and kippa sruga (knitted kippa) sitting with “chilonim” (“secular” – and the quotation marks much neeeded), reform, conservative, renewal. Everything that has a name and everyone that hasn’t decided which and if at all they want a title – we’re all here. The thirst to be together and learn directly from the sources, is almost visible and definitely unmistakeable. It’s a new and moving phenomena which is worth everybody’s attention. Of course, it’s not perfect but for one, it’s much better than the quality of my photos; and what’s most important – it is happening.