It's Always Something with the Jews

My parents and grandparents spent so much time observing Jewish holidays, it's a wonder anything ever got done around our house. Naturally, being held hostage all during my childhood I had to observe them too; I suspect the reason I know so little about history is because of all the school I missed growing up.  If it wasn't Purim it was Passover, or else it was Yom Kippur or Rosh Hashonah or Shavuot or Simchat Torah or Hanukkah, or maybe Sukkot. Each of these had their special quirky goings-on, which allowed me plenty of time to hang out at home and plot my eventual escape.

Still, with all the holidays we did observe, I never once heard of  Tisha B'Av, which is supposedly today. The only way I know of it now is because I was checking my blog stats and someone from a website called "Creative Jewish Mom" clicked on my blog, and so I went there to see what that was and found out about this holiday. It's to commemorate how much the Jews have been persecuted, which certainly sounds like a good time. You fast for 25 hours, and you can't bathe, and no applying of oils or lotions or wearing of leather shoes, and no marital relations on this particular holiday. That may have been why my parents let Tisha B'Av slide; they were good Jews but they weren't insane.

Religions the world over sure are nutty. If only I could figure out what purpose they serve and how they have anything to do with God or spirituality, I might join in on some of the festivities. Until then, I'm sitting them out and shaking my head in wonder.