When the Destruction of the Temple Isn’t an Abstract Historical Event

JL;DR SUMMARY The writer reflects on how the events of the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, 2018, have deeply impacted their community, making them reevaluate the observance of Tisha B'Av, a day commemorating various catastrophes in Jewish history. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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