Related reading: The Month of Adar I: Calendar, Holidays, Torah Portions, and Meaning and The Month of Adar II: Calendar, Holidays, Torah Portions, and Meaning.
Av is one of the deepest months in the Jewish calendar. It begins inside the period of the Three Weeks, reaches Tisha B’Av, the central day of mourning for the destruction of the Temples, and then begins to move toward consolation, love, and rebuilding. So someone searching for an Av calendar is usually looking for more than Hebrew and Gregorian dates. They want orientation: when Tisha B’Av falls, what Tu B’Av means, which Torah portions are read during the month, and how to explain a month of pain, hope, and responsibility to children.
This page gathers the key dates, meaning, customs, Torah portions, and educational ideas for the month of Av. It is suitable for reading, printing, lesson preparation, Shabbat-table learning, or opening an Av quiz for a family, class, or group.
In Short: What Happens in Av?
Av is the fifth month in the biblical count of the Hebrew months, after Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, and Tammuz. On the Gregorian calendar it usually falls in July-August. Av has 30 days, and at its end Rosh Chodesh Elul begins.
The month’s central themes include:
- Rosh Chodesh Av: the beginning of a month that opens during the Three Weeks
- Tisha B’Av: a fast day and day of mourning for the destruction of the First and Second Temples and other national tragedies in Jewish memory
- Shabbat Chazon and Shabbat Nachamu: the movement from rebuke and pain into the first language of consolation
- Tu B’Av: a day of joy and love in rabbinic tradition, reminding us that the calendar does not end in mourning
- Weekly Torah portions: usually around Matot-Masei, Devarim, Vaetchanan, Eikev, and Re’eh, depending on the year and the Israel/Diaspora reading cycle
- Educational meaning: remembering Jerusalem, mutual responsibility, repairing baseless hatred, consolation, love, and rebuilding trust
- Bible Quiz connection: questions about Jerusalem, the Temple, the Book of Lamentations, Deuteronomy, the month’s Torah portions, and Tu B’Av
Av Calendar: Key Dates
A useful Av calendar should show the Hebrew and Gregorian date for each day, the weekly Torah portion, Tisha B’Av, Tu B’Av, and the transition toward Elul. Gregorian dates change each year, so a live site should load them from a reliable, regularly updated calendar source.
| Hebrew date | Milestone | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Av | Rosh Chodesh Av | The beginning of the month; many communities add practices of restraint before Tisha B’Av |
| Shabbat before Tisha B’Av | Shabbat Chazon | Named for the haftarah “Chazon Yeshayahu”; usually close to Parashat Devarim |
| 9 Av | Tisha B’Av | A fast day and day of mourning for the destruction of the First and Second Temples and the memory of Jerusalem |
| Shabbat after Tisha B’Av | Shabbat Nachamu | Named for the haftarah “Nachamu Nachamu Ami”; the first turn toward consolation after the mourning period |
| 15 Av | Tu B’Av | A day of joy and love in rabbinic tradition; a natural opening for learning about connection, repair, and unity |
| Shabbatot of the month | Torah portions of Av | Usually around Devarim, Vaetchanan, Eikev, and Re’eh, and sometimes Matot-Masei |
| 30 Av | Rosh Chodesh Elul | The first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul and the beginning of preparation for the High Holidays |
For example, in Hebrew year 5786, Av begins in July 2026. Tisha B’Av 5786 begins on Wednesday evening, July 22, 2026, and continues until nightfall on Thursday, July 23, 2026. Tu B’Av 5786 begins on Tuesday evening, July 28, 2026, and continues until nightfall on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. In that year, the Torah portions around the month include Devarim, Vaetchanan, Eikev, and Re’eh. Always check the calendar for the specific year, location, and reading custom.
The Meaning of Av
Av holds two voices together: destruction and consolation. The beginning of the month still belongs to the movement of the Three Weeks, as we approach Tisha B’Av. But after Tisha B’Av, the calendar begins to turn. Shabbat Nachamu reminds us that memory is not the end of the road, and Tu B’Av opens a door toward joy, love, and connection.
The Hebrew name “Av,” meaning father, also invites an educational question: what does parental, communal, and spiritual responsibility look like when something has broken? Av does not ask us to skip over pain. It asks us to remember honestly, and then ask what we can build differently: in speech, relationships, learning, responsibility for Jerusalem, and the unity of Israel.
Av can be taught through four themes:
- Memory: understanding the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temples as part of the Jewish story
- Responsibility: asking how conflict, indifference, or baseless hatred can damage a community
- Consolation: learning that brokenness is not an ending, but a place from which rebuilding can begin
- Love: seeing Tu B’Av as an invitation to connection, reconciliation, and simple joy
Tisha B’Av: The Heart of the Month
Tisha B’Av is a central fast day and day of mourning in the Jewish calendar. Tradition connects it with the destruction of both the First and Second Temples, as well as other painful moments in Jewish history. Calendar sources describe it as a fast that runs from evening to evening, and when the ninth of Av falls on Shabbat, the fast is postponed.
For an educational site, Tisha B’Av should be explained in sensitive language:
- It is a day for remembering the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temples
- In many communities, the Book of Lamentations is read and kinot are recited
- The fast lasts about 25 hours, but exact start and end times depend on location and year
- The details of mourning practices and fasting vary by community and personal circumstance
- The educational focus is not only grief, but repair: how to build a society with respect, listening, and responsibility
Opening questions for children:
- Why is Jerusalem at the center of Tisha B’Av memory?
- What is the difference between remembering pain and staying only sad?
- What can damage a friendship or community from within?
- What kind word can begin consolation?
- What can we rebuild this year in a place that feels broken?
Shabbat Chazon and Shabbat Nachamu
Shabbat Chazon is the Shabbat before Tisha B’Av, named for the haftarah “Chazon Yeshayahu.” It places before the community a mirror of criticism, responsibility, and repair. Educationally, it is a chance to speak with children about rebuke that is not meant to shame, but to awaken change.
Shabbat Nachamu comes immediately after Tisha B’Av and is named for the haftarah “Nachamu Nachamu Ami.” It changes the tone. After days of restraint and mourning, a movement of encouragement, rebuilding, and renewed hope begins. For families and classrooms, it is a powerful transition point: what did we learn from the pain, and what do we choose to do now?
Tu B’Av: Love After Brokenness
Tu B’Av, the fifteenth day of Av, is described in rabbinic tradition as a special day of joy. Mishnah Taanit teaches that Israel had no days as festive as the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur. In modern Israel it is often known as a day of love, but its roots are deeper than modern romance. It reminds us of the possibility of connection, joy, and unity after days of mourning.
The link between Tisha B’Av and Tu B’Av is one of the month’s most beautiful messages. Within one week, the calendar moves from “What was destroyed?” to “How do we return to love?” This is not a simple leap. It is the work of repair. That is why Tu B’Av is especially fitting for family learning about reconciliation, appreciation, friendship, and words that bring people closer.
Torah Portions in Av
The Torah portions read during Av change from year to year and may differ between Israel and the Diaspora. Usually the month falls around the end of Numbers and the beginning of Deuteronomy: Matot, Masei, Devarim, Vaetchanan, Eikev, and Re’eh.
The themes of these portions fit a month of memory and consolation:
- Matot: vows, words that bind, and responsibility for what we say
- Masei: the journeys of Israel, stations along the way, and the ability to name a long journey
- Devarim: Moses opens with words of rebuke and memory before the people enter the Land
- Vaetchanan: prayer, the Ten Commandments, Shema Yisrael, and the love of God
- Eikev: blessing, the Land of Israel, gratitude, and remembering the wilderness journey
- Re’eh: choice, blessing and curse, public responsibility, and communal life
A monthly page should ideally include a dynamic “Torah portion in Av” component by year, date, and reading custom. That turns the page from a general article into a useful tool connecting calendar, parashah, and weekly quiz.
Customs and Family Learning Themes
Av is well suited to short, sensitive, practical learning. The goal is not to burden children with historical grief, but to give them language for memory, responsibility, and consolation.
Learning ideas:
- On Rosh Chodesh: explain that Av has 30 days and that its first days lead toward Tisha B’Av
- Before Tisha B’Av: choose one story about Jerusalem and write one question about responsibility
- The day after Tisha B’Av: speak about consolation as an action, not only a feeling
- Before Tu B’Av: each child writes a compliment or thank-you note to someone at home or in class
- At the end of the month: connect “Shema Yisrael” from Vaetchanan with listening inside the family
Add a gentle note on the site: details of the fast, the Nine Days, and mourning customs depend on age, health, pregnancy, nursing, communal practice, and personal halachic guidance. The page offers explanation and education; it does not replace a halachic consultation when needed.
Questions for Children and an Av Quiz
An Av quiz can begin with simple knowledge questions and move toward deeper reflection:
- Which month comes before Av?
- How many days are in Av?
- On which Hebrew date is Tisha B’Av?
- What do we remember on Tisha B’Av?
- What is Shabbat Chazon?
- What is Shabbat Nachamu?
- On which Hebrew date is Tu B’Av?
- Which Torah portion opens the Book of Deuteronomy?
- In which Torah portion does “Shema Yisrael” appear?
- How can memory become an act of consolation?
Call to action: Start the Av quiz and choose a track by age: children, teens, family, or classroom. Begin with calendar questions, continue with Tisha B’Av and Tu B’Av, and end with one personal question about rebuilding, reconciliation, and love.
Recommended Page Experience
To make the page useful rather than only informative, build it as a monthly tool:
- A month calendar with Hebrew and Gregorian dates for each day
- Markers for Rosh Chodesh Av, Tisha B’Av, Shabbat Nachamu, Tu B’Av, and Rosh Chodesh Elul
- Fast times by location and year, if supported by the site
- Weekly Torah portion by year and Israel/Diaspora custom
- A “today in Av” area with one short daily question
- Print or PDF button for the Av calendar
- Quick links to the Hebrew calendar, today’s Hebrew date, the weekly Torah portion, and Tisha B’Av
- An Av quiz with questions about Jerusalem, Deuteronomy, consolation, and love
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Av occur?
Av usually falls in July-August on the Gregorian calendar. Exact dates change each year, so the calendar should be checked for the relevant year.
How many days are in Av?
Av has 30 days. The 30th of Av is also the first day of Rosh Chodesh Elul.
What is Tisha B’Av?
Tisha B’Av is a fast day and day of mourning for the destruction of the First and Second Temples and other painful moments in Jewish history. It falls on the ninth of Av; if that date falls on Shabbat, the fast is postponed.
What is Tu B’Av?
Tu B’Av is a day of joy and love in rabbinic tradition. Today it is also known as a day of love, but it can be taught as a day of reconciliation, connection, and unity after the mourning period.
Which Torah portions are read in Av?
The portions change by year and by Israel or Diaspora custom. Usually Av falls around Matot, Masei, Devarim, Vaetchanan, Eikev, and Re’eh.
What is the difference between Shabbat Chazon and Shabbat Nachamu?
Shabbat Chazon is the Shabbat before Tisha B’Av and carries a voice of rebuke and memory. Shabbat Nachamu is the Shabbat after Tisha B’Av and opens a period of consolation and hope.
Does everyone have to fast on Tisha B’Av?
Tisha B’Av is a major fast, but details of obligation and exemption depend on age, health, personal circumstances, and custom. When in doubt, consult a rabbi or qualified authority.
How does Av connect to a Bible Quiz?
You can include questions about Jerusalem, the Temple, Lamentations, Deuteronomy, Shema Yisrael, Shabbat Nachamu, Tu B’Av, and values of repair, reconciliation, and love of Israel.
Av Quiz Idea
Quiz name: “Av: From Jerusalem to Consolation”
Suggested structure: 18 questions in three stages: the month calendar and Tisha B’Av, the Torah portions in Deuteronomy, and Tu B’Av as a doorway to reconciliation and love. At the end, users receive a family task: choose one thing that can be rebuilt this week - a conversation, help, apology, gratitude, or shared learning - and turn it into a short quiz question.
Suggested Schema Markup
Add Article, BreadcrumbList, and FAQ Page schema to the page. If a print or PDF flow is implemented, add a short HowTo schema: choose a year, open the month of Av, display Tisha B’Av and Tu B’Av, check the weekly Torah portion, and print the calendar.