Celebrating the Holiday of Tu B’Av

Literally, Tu B’Av is the 15th day of the Hebrew calendar month of Av, but what do we do this day and why is it a holiday?

Tu B’av is the Jewish day of love, think Valentine’s Day but for Jews. Why is it the 15th of Av? Originally it was a post-biblical day of joy and was a matchmaking day for unmarried women in the time of the Second Temple (before 70 CE). Tu B’Av was practically unnoticed in the Jewish calendar for centuries but it has been added back into celebrations recently, especially in Israel, where there are festivals singing and dancing.

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