Thousands gathered at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Saturday night to mark the eve of Tisha B'Av, the historic date on which the Romans sacked Jerusalem and burned down the Second Temple, sending the Jewish people into 2,000 years of exile.
In addition to prayers, a number of events were held throughout Jerusalem emphasizing discourse on divisive topics in Israeli society, such as a discussion on LGBTQ issues dedicated to the memory of Shira Banki, who was murdered by an ultra-Orthodox zealot at the annual Jerusalem gay pride parade in 2015.
The Tower of David Museum and the Gush Katif Museum both hosted special events marking Tisha B'Av.
On Sunday, the Beit Avi Chai cultural center in Jerusalem ran a marathon of Tisha B'Av-themed films, mostly documentaries. Several of the screenings were followed by discussions with the directors.
Amichai Hasson, artistic director of the film marathon, said that Beit Avi Chai had chosen to "present all sorts of viewpoints."
"The audience for these films is very diverse. Some films draw a mainly religious audience, and others mostly attract secular viewers. There are a lot of people who wonder how they should mark this day, because we don't gather in the synagogue like on Yom Kippur.
"The way I see it, it's important to watch films and gain insights today," Hasson said.
