Tisha b'Av: The Bottom of the Calendar - with Rachel Goldberg-Polin

What does Tisha B'Av ask of us after October 7? Tisha B'Av is the saddest date on the Jewish calendar, but Rachel Goldberg-Polin argues it also offers hope and opportunity. In a conversation shaped by the personal and collective trauma of October 7, she explains why Jewish tradition gathers centuries of loss onto a single day, why it compels us to look inward, and how mourning is meant to become the first step toward repair. Rachel’s suggested reading:  This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation by Rabbi Alan Lew ___ Call Me Back is made possible by our subscribers. If these conversations are where you turn to understand Israel and the Jewish world, consider joining them. It's what keeps this show going. Become a Subscriber - Inside Call me Back ____ In this episode: - Why Tisha B'Av became Judaism's day of mourning -  The original national failure: The spies and the Promised Land,  - The centrality and importance of the Temples we can’t comprehend - Sinat chinam and the danger of baseless hatred - Why Jewish tradition looks inward after catastrophe - How Tisha B'Av is observed and why the rituals matter - Rav Kook's answer: from baseless hatred to baseless love - Finding hope, repair, and "yet" after grief More Ark Media: Want to join Ark Media? Check out our careers page for new openings. Explore Israel Votes Listen to Ark News Daily Listen to For Heaven's Sake Listen to What’s Your Number? Newsletters | Ark Media | Amit Segal | Nadav Eyal Instagram | Ark Media | Dan X | Dan Dan Senor & Saul Singer’s book, The Genius of Israel Get in touch Credits: Ilan Benatar, Ryan Lohr, Beth Pearlman, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo