Israeli Women Reflect on the Meaning of the Temple's Destruction on Tisha B'Av

The Israeli program "These Religious Women," hosted by Ortal Barzilai and Hadar Ben Hamo on Srugim, explored the significance of the destruction of the Temple (Tisha B'Av) as not only a historical event but also a personal, familial, and national experience that continues to resonate in Israeli society today. The episode featured former Knesset member Shuli Mualem, Iris Haim, filmmaker Yehudit Pascal, and couples therapist Shoshi Biton, each sharing unique stories of loss, uprooting, coping, and rebuilding.

Shuli Mualem revisited her childhood home and described how the values and faith she absorbed gave her strength to overcome the profound loss of her husband and continue her public and personal life with hope. Iris Haim spoke about her refusal to say she "lost" her son Yotam, who was kidnapped and killed by Israeli forces on October 7, choosing instead a path of love, compassion, and unity amid great pain.

Yehudit Pascal recalled the evacuation from Gush Katif and Yamit, reflecting on the meaning of losing one’s home and how she transformed her pain into cinematic art and a message of healing. Shoshi Biton provided viewers with practical tools to handle "destruction of the home" in family and couple relationships, explaining how to recognize early cracks and rebuild after severe crises.

The participants also discussed broader societal questions: whether Israel is living in a time of destruction or repair, if healing is possible without full agreement, and whether destruction necessarily marks an end or can be the start of new construction.