This month we seek to bring some light into the darkness of a month with no festivals. We do this by simulating the luminous light of the moon in our lighting.
Use small bowls. Line them with aluminum foil and fill them with either small candles or wicks floating in water. Notice how the reflections remind us of the light of the moon in the dark sky. The fast day in this month, the 17th of Tammuz, hearkens to the siege of JerusalemLit. City of peace From the time of David to the Roman destruction, Jerusalem was the capital of Israel and the spiritual and governmental center of the Jewish people. During the long exile, Jews longed to return to Jerusalem and wrote poems, prayers, and songs about the beloved city. In 1967, with the capture of the Old City, Jerusalem was reunited, becoming "the eternal capital of Israel." Still, the longing for peace is unfulfilled. when the walls to the city were breached.
As each woman lights her candle, ask her to think of a place in the world where people are held under siege, either literally or figuratively. She may also want to relate the idea of “siege” to her own life; what external or internal blocks limit her and serve as her own metaphorical chains that block her from moving forward.
