Troublesome Temple

I don't like the Kotel.

One of the things my Taglit-Birthright Israel staff manual mentions regarding a student's first experience at the Holy Western Wall is that it might not meet their expectations. The first time I visited, 4 summers ago, this was exactly what happened to me. Nobody prepped me for disappointment. This was supposed to be the holiest site in Jerusalem, how could I not be blown away? I approached with my note, something reflective of my hopes and dreams, and I attempted to find a crack, some small crevice where I could insert my innermost wishes into God's Mailbox. Every time I tried, the note fell to the ground. The mailbox was full to the brim. Like a bin outside of the library, desperately waiting to be purged of its contents. I was frustrated and tried to find somewhere higher up. I remember looking up and trying to memorize my exact location so that I could find it again upon returning.

Three and a half years later, I returned as a Madricha for a group of my students. I joined them in their venture to the wall, but this time I didn't expect anything. I was not disappointed, I just felt that familiar frustration: the beggar women who pester you from all sides for Tzedakah while you attempt to have a personal and spiritual moment; the fact that the women's side is a quarter of the length and therefore much more crowded. Not only do you have to be aggressive to touch the stones, but you have to suppress the internal guilt about the masses waiting for their turn. Then when you really think about it, you realize people are praying at the outermost wall of the courtyard which led up to the Beit HaMikdash. It's not even a wall of the Temple, the Arabs built a Mosque over the really important part!!!

Now that I'm living in Jerusalem I have been actively avoiding the Kotel. For the first time in 7 weeks, I visited the Kotel independently of a Birthright Israel tour. My roommate and I decided to check it out since tonight marks the beginning of the fast day called Tisha b'Av. The 9th day of the month of Av is traditionally a collective day of mourning for the Jewish people because it marks many disasters in our history. Both the 1st and 2nd Temples are said to have been destroyed on this day, as well as the expulsion of the Jews from Spain and a few other historical tragedies. Andy and I have been discussing how we as progressive Jews feel about this Jewish holiday. Should we fast? Definitely not. Do we mourn the Temple? Judaism as we practice it would not exist if the Temple were still in tact. And the idea that it won't be rebuilt until the messianic age also doesn't sit so well. At this point, we've decided to head to Pardes for some study sessions, maybe we'll hear something about the holiday that feels relevant to our modern Jewish lives.

Does anyone have a good reason why progressive Jews should observe Tisha b'Av??