Shabbat Messages

It can feel very lonely in the world right now. Even in a city like Los Angeles with millions of people, it can be hard to find your people or feel truly connected.

And this is why the holiday of Tu B’Av exists.

You may be thinking: Wait, isn’t Tu B’Av the holiday celebrating romantic love? The one that most people refer to as Israel’s “Valentine’s Day?”

In a way, yes. The Talmud tells us that on this 15th day of the month of Av, unmarried women would dress in white and dance through the vineyards to find a mate. However, it is noted in the Mishnah that these single women encouraged men to focus on their lineage and devoutness rather than their looks, signaling that this day was grounded in much more than just vain romance.

Even thousands of years ago, people recognized that connection is vital, going so far as to dedicate a day on which people had the opportunity to relate on a deeper level. Tu B’Av was created to encourage matchmaking, an ancient and holy practice that has always been treated with reverence in the Jewish tradition.

And as I reflect on the many new congregant meetings I’ve had recently, I am reminded of this immense power of matchmaking. Almost every single new member that I’ve met and had the pleasure of getting to know has told me they joined Wilshire Boulevard Temple for one main reason: connection. They are searching for their community, their people, or their person. In other words, they are seeking their match. Some new members are looking to find their spiritual match, hoping Shabbat services or even the upcoming High Holidays will enrich their souls. Other new members are really trying to find their social match, or chaverim, a close circle of family friends to walk through and navigate life with. And some new members are seeking an intellectual match, learning from our many amazing educational programs or from our masterful clergy and staff.

While Tu B’Av may have originated as a day for matchmaking couples, I observe this day as one celebrating those brave enough to seek connection. It is not easy to actively pursue new relationships; for some, it may be easier to stick to the comfort of what is known, even if it is not serving us in a healthy way. But the timing of Tu B’Av also underscores the necessity of this pursuit: only six days after the holiday of Tisha B’Av, when we remember the many disasters that have befallen the Jewish people and mourn the destruction of the First and Second Temples, Tu B’Av reminds us that there is always joy and love to be found, as long as we are willing to seek it. This first Shabbat after Tisha B’Av is known as "Shabbat Nachamu," or the Sabbath of Comfort, named for the Haftarah portion from Isaiah. The portion begins with God saying, "Comfort, comfort My people." Comfort, connection, a true match of mind, soul, and spirit—we’ve been seeking this for thousands of years, and we’ll continue to seek it for eternity.

So to the new members of Wilshire Boulevard Temple, we are so happy you’ve chosen us as your match. And to those who have been with us for countless years and truly make this congregation the community that it is, thank you.

Sending nothing but love for the upcoming celebration of Tu B’Av on Tuesday night.

Shabbat Shalom,
Cantor Aliya Stuart