Jozef Israëls: Jewish Wedding A Jewish groom slipping a ring onto his bride's finger in the painting Jewish Wedding, possibly illustrating the marriage of the artist's daughter Mathilde and G.D. Cohen Tervaert. Oil on canvas by Jozef Israëls, 1903; in the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. (more) Tu b’Av Jewish holiday Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/Tu-b-Av Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: Chag Ha-Ahavah, Tu be-Av Written by Charles Preston Charles Preston is Associate Editor for Religion at Encyclopædia Britannica. Charles Preston Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Sep 3, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Hebrew: ט״ו באב (Tu be-Av, “Fifteenth of Av”) (Show more) Also called: חג האהבה (Chag Ha-Ahavah, “Festival of Love”) (Show more) { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is Tu bu2019Av? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Tu bu2019Av is a minor Jewish holiday associated with love and marriage that falls on the 15th day of the month of Av (Julyu2013August) on the Jewish calendar. Rabbinic texts do not afford it much religious significance, and it was largely forgotten until its revival in the 20th century in Israel as a cultural holiday of love and romance that is celebrated similarly to Valentineu2019s Day." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the early history of Tu bu2019Av? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "According to the Mishna, prior to the destruction of the Second Temple, Tu bu2019Av was celebrated by the daughters of Jerusalem dressing in white garments and dancing in vineyards to attract potential suitors. It is also said to be the day that the tribes of Israel met to allow marriages between the groups and the day that the tribe of Benjamin was reincorporated into the Israelite community. In Orthodox Jewish observance, the holiday marked the beginning of longer nights, which allowed for more nighttime Torah study." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How is Tu bu2019Av celebrated in modern Israel? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "In modern Israel, Tu bu2019Av has been revived as a culturally Jewish version of Valentineu2019s Day, a day of love. In addition to romantic gestures and trinkets, the day is popular for weddings, wedding proposals, and engagement announcements. It is also an occasion for traditional Jewish matchmaking (shiduchim) and has become popular within Israelu2019s LGBTQ community as a day for raising awareness and celebrating identity." } } ] } Top Questions What is Tu b’Av? Tu b’Av is a minor Jewish holiday associated with love and marriage that falls on the 15th day of the month of Av (July–August) on the Jewish calendar. Rabbinic texts do not afford it much religious significance, and it was largely forgotten until its revival in the 20th century in Israel as a cultural holiday of love and romance that is celebrated similarly to Valentine’s Day.

　　What is the early history of Tu b’Av? According to the Mishna, prior to the destruction of the Second Temple, Tu b’Av was celebrated by the daughters of Jerusalem dressing in white garments and dancing in vineyards to attract potential suitors. It is also said to be the day that the tribes of Israel met to allow marriages between the groups and the day that the tribe of Benjamin was reincorporated into the Israelite community. In Orthodox Jewish observance, the holiday marked the beginning of longer nights, which allowed for more nighttime Torah study.

　　How is Tu b’Av celebrated in modern Israel? In modern Israel, Tu b’Av has been revived as a culturally Jewish version of Valentine’s Day, a day of love. In addition to romantic gestures and trinkets, the day is popular for weddings, wedding proposals, and engagement announcements. It is also an occasion for traditional Jewish matchmaking (shiduchim) and has become popular within Israel’s LGBTQ community as a day for raising awareness and celebrating identity.

　　Tu b’Av, minor Jewish holiday popularly associated with love and marriage. It falls on the 15th day, a full moon day, of the month of Av on the Jewish calendar (July–August on the Gregorian calendar). First mentioned briefly in rabbinic Jewish texts from the first centuries ce, the holiday lapsed into obscurity until its revival in the 20th century. In modern Israel it has become a Jewish version of Valentine’s Day. The holiday’s festive mood contrasts sharply with Tisha b’Av (the ninth of Av), a mourning holiday only six days earlier. The earliest reference to the holiday occurs in the ...(100 of 753 words)

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