Tisha B'Av: Mourning Ancient Temples & Seeking to Heal Our Endangered "Temple Earth" For the past few generations, it is the whole round Earth itself that is the Holy Temple of all peoples, all life-forms. And it is in danger of destruction. Five years ago, during the summer of the BP oil-well blow-out in the Gulf of Mexico, The Shalom Center sponsored a multicultural, multi-religious gathering of rebuke on the steps of the US Capitol.  We commissioned Tamara Cohen, then our Barbara Bick Memorial Fellow, now a Rabbi, to create an Eicha for Temple Earth, a lament to be chanted to the ancient wailing melody. Here is how it begins: Eicha: Alas! -- she sits in danger. Earth, home to multitudes, like a beloved, deep in distress. Blue ocean, source of life -- Endangered and imprisoned. Bitterly she weeps in the night Her shorelines wet with tears. Of all her friends, none to comfort her; All her allies have betrayed her. Checkerspot butterflies flee their homes; Polar bears can find no rest. Because our greed has heated Earth. Whole communities destroyed To pursue off-shore oil. Lives and dreams have been narrowed. Coastlines mourn for families, lost homes and livelihoods. Barrier islands lament, desolate; Wetlands sigh without their song birds … The entire Eicha for Temple Earth is at https://theshalomcenter.org/node/1733 We invite you to bring this modern analogue into your observance of Tisha B’Av.  If you do, please consider helping The Shalom Center to keep developing such resources,  with your tzedakah – a gift of social responsibility. Please click on the “Donate” button just below my signature. On 7/22/15, 6:35 PM, "Helen Bennett" <helenmiriambennett@gmail.com> wrote: Sounds like a great, timely, and powerful message, Jenna. It resonates with me. I'd be glad to help get the message out through Moishe Kavod House and JOIN for Justice social media outlets. Thanks for keeping us posted with images etc! Helen On Jul 22, 2015, at 2:20 PM, Jenna Pollock <jennac.pollock@gmail.com> wrote: Dearest Chevra, I am writing (belatedly) on the heels of attending a global interfaith climate change convergence in Rome this past month. In response to a lot of the incredible work by folks in this network and others (Rabbinic letter regarding climate change, Shmita related work and those working in Jewish spaces around climate change action), and in response to Laudato Si, a few of us were thinking it could be great to link the already existing fast practices of Tisha B'Av to those of fasting for climate change (http://fastfortheclimate.org/en/). To that end, what do folks think about  a quick social media share where folks can spread the message by tagging Facebook, Instagram and Twitter with #tishabav #fastfortheclimate. Will be sending an ask that you can forward more widely later tonight, but wanted to get wider input first. In gratitude and blessings! Best, Jenna Pollock