What are the observances during Tisha b’Av?

During Tisha b’Av observant Jews fast for 24 hours and abstain from washing themselves, doing laundry or buying new clothes, wearing leather, and engaging in sexual relations. The day includes chanting Lamentations, reciting dirges, and visiting cemeteries. Reform Jews typically do not observe the holiday, because of their movement’s emphasis on ethics and the present day in the Jewish Diaspora over historical tragedies and the traditions of the Temple of Jerusalem.