Fast day guide
Tisha B'Av in Jerusalem, where the churban actually happened.
The one day of the year when the destruction of the Beis Hamikdash isn't a historical concept — it's a location. Tisha B'Av 5787 falls on Thursday, August 12, 2027, with the fast beginning Wednesday evening, August 11. Here's how we help families plan a trip built around the Kotel kinnos.
The day itself.
Erev 9 Av: seudah hamafsekes at your hotel around 6pm (hotel kitchen handles the eggs-ash-bread or whichever minhag your family follows). The fast begins at shkiah. Ma\'ariv and Eicha at the Kotel Plaza or at a neighborhood shul. Families often walk to the Kotel together after Eicha for an hour of quiet sitting on the ground.
9 Av morning: kinnos at the Kotel or at an in-hotel minyan. Kinnos extends until midday with meforshim shiurim in between. The afternoon is typically spent resting in the hotel or at a learning program. Mincha at the Kotel is powerful. Nightfall brings ma\'ariv, havdalah (or equivalent depending on minhag), and a dairy break-fast at the hotel.
Hotel proximity to the Kotel on fast day.
Walking distance matters more on Tisha B\'Av than any other day of the year. Taxi rides on a fast day raise halachic concerns most frum families prefer to avoid. Haneviim Boutique and Prima Palace are the closest JRM options (about 20 minutes on foot). Yirmiyahu 33 and Jerusalem Gate are about 25 minutes. For families who prefer not to walk on a fast day, book a hotel with an in-hotel kinnos minyan.
Related reading.
Planning a Tisha B'Av trip?
Tell us your dates, your party, and whether you want walking-distance Kotel access or in-hotel minyan. We handle the seudah hamafsekes, the fast-day kitchen arrangement, and the break-fast.
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