Tisha B’Av is the the day we fast and have multiple other restrictions to mourn the loss of the temples. We started off the day with a lovely sleep in until 8:00 (not kidding, most days we can wake up as early as 5:30). This nice sleep in was followed by our usual breakfast before we get on the bus (some didn’t eat because there was a fast). Our first and only stop for the day was at the Museum of Tolerance, a holocaust museum in Beverly Hills. We traveled throughout the museum learning about the Jewish community’s past and how we’ve managed to hang in there and have hope. After passing through the Holocaust section of the trip, we went to the modern section. This section focused on the root of hatred, on how it’s possible that someone could dislike a person or group of people so much that they wish them wiped off the face of the earth. Our tour guide explained to us that hatred has to be taught. For example, let’s say you’re Caucasian and you have a Asian friend that you play with on the playground. You don’t tell them negative things, you’re just glad you have someone to play with. People are taught to hate, it’s not in our human nature to hate someone, it’s developed by the people we encounter, our influences, and many other factors. We’re also taught not to be prejudice, but what the museum did was give us two doors one labeled “Prejudice” and “Unprejudice”. Our tour guide asked us to make lines behind the door which fits your personality. Most people lined up in the prejudice line because it’s true that we judge people the first time we see them. Even if we don’t like ourselves for doing it, we do. After we had lined up the tour guide then explained to us that the Unprejudice door was never meant to be opened. And that we all judge the first time we see someone. After the museum we all went back to the hotel and hung around. Some watched a movie and some just hung out in their rooms. At the end of the day we did some prayers and finished the fast! It was a deep and emotional day for most of us. Tomorrow is an exciting day of zip lining and boating! Talk to ya later 🙂