עָלַיִך ועל אֵיכָה: נשים קוראות 'איכה' בקהילה רפורמית ביפו

On the evening of Tisha B’Av, it is customary to read the Book of Lamentations(Megillat Eikha) a collection of five laments that were compiled after the destruction of Jerusalem and canonized in Scripture. Each lament serves as a theological document that plays a crucial role in the spiritual restoration of the nation amidst a profound sense of hopelessness and longing for redemption. This ethnographic study differs from traditional research, which typically focuses on the scroll as a textual reflection of exile and theological themes on Tisha B’Av. Instead, I view the scroll as a ritual platform for unveiling gender and political concepts that feature active female leadership and participation. Through ethnographic analysis at the Daniel Congregation in Jaffa, an Israeli Reform community, I explore how congregants interpret the content of the lamentations, particularly their gender aspects, and reveal diverse and vivid meanings. The perform activity of the reading, encompassing vocal and physical elements, along with efforts to deconstruct and integrate other texts, establishes a profound connection between the written and the performed word. The participation of women challenges both tradition ritual practices and patriarchal social norms. The ethnographic description highlights the congregants’ use of the act of mourning to examine contemporary realities through a gender edlens. The participants seek explanations for their life experiences within the verses of the scroll, engaging in an open dialogue with the scriptures. Consequently, this traditional ritual, laden with national and theological significance, has evolved into a potent political tool utilized to interpret critical moments of personal pain and loss.