Summer Holidays

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	The Summer Mo'edim -

	Preparing for the coming harvest

	In the summer there occurs a three week period of mourning that begins with the Fast of Tammuz and ends with the tragic holiday of Tishah B'Av. The last nine days of this three week period (i.e., from Av 1 until Av 9th) are days of increased mourning. However, after this somber time, the romantic holiday of Tu B'Av, the 15th of Av occurs. Originally a post-biblical day of joy, the 15th of Av served as a matchmaking day for unmarried women in the second Temple period.




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	The summer ends with the 30 days of the month of Elul, a yearly season of teshuvah (repentance) that anticipates Rosh Hashanah and the fall holidays. The days of Elul are combined with the first ten days of the month of Tishri to create the Forty Days of Teshuvah that culminate with the holy day of Yom Kippur.

Summer Mo'edim - Preparation

Fast of the 17th of Tammuz - Start of the three weeks of sorrow [Tammuz 17]
Tish'ah B'Av - The Last day of the three weeks of sorrow [Av 9]
Tu B'Av - Time of Harvest and Romance [Av 15]
Elul and Selichot - Preparing for teshuvah and the Fall Holidays [Elul]


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