For Jews at Kotel as Tisha B’Av fast ends, a sense of belonging

Being at the Kotel as the Tisha B’Av fast concluded on Thursday night was a reminder for Penina Kahane, 22, of Hollywood, Fla., of Jewish connection and resilience at a time when many Jews worldwide face heightened concerns about security.

“These threats exist and they’re real, and they’re always going to be real,” the recent Binghamton University graduate, who is preparing to begin a master’s program in counseling at Sarah Lawrence College, told JNS.

“Yet we have to continue doing what we want within a safe environment,” she told JNS. “If it’s safe enough to be here, we should be here.”

Kahane was one of thousands who gathered at the Kotel for the conclusion of the fast amid increased security following the indictment of a Nazareth resident accused of plotting an attack against National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and other recent arrests of those who allegedly planned terror attacks.

Those who aren’t in Israel ought to take the time to understand the country and its challenges better, according to Kahane. “Educate yourself on what this situation is before you decide what you think,” she told JNS.

Zalmy Mochkin, 36, a painter and personal chef from Jerusalem, told JNS that being at the Western Wall on Tisha B’Av represents a “direct connection” to Jewish history.

“It brings me close to my roots,” he said. “I love being surrounded by Jews of all walks of life.”

Mochkin was not aware of recent security developments before arriving at the Kotel, and he told JNS that he believes Israel remains the safest place for Jews.

“I wouldn’t say I’m scared,” he said. “Definitely in Israel what I would say is that I think it’s way more intense in America and other countries.”

Rabbi Yitzchok Dinovitzer, 67, a senior regional educator for the Atlantic Seaboard Region of NCSY based in Baltimore, said that security concerns did not affect his decision to show up.

“God watches over us, and we put our trust in God,” the rabbi told JNS.

Dinovitzer described the atmosphere at the Western Wall as a powerful display of Jewish unity. “When people are all together, the yeshiva, the secular, that’s a beautiful thing,” he said.

Hannah Porat, 62, who was born in Munich, Germany, converted to Judaism in 1987 and made aliyah in 1991, told JNS that this was her first time at the Kotel on Tisha B’Av.

“I am very scared of crowds,” she admitted. “But this year, we were with friends, and the spontaneous decision was, ‘We’re coming to the Kotel.’ I said, ‘We might as well.’”

Her son, Eli Porat, told JNS that the recent security concerns did not outweigh the importance of showing up.

“There’s always something, and this is too powerful to miss,” he said.