 service in the employ of Congregation Beth Shalom of Wilmington, Delaware. In two days' time, on July 23rd, Jews all around the world find themselves in the beginning of an intensive three-week period of mourning called Ben HaMetzarim, literally, between the straits. On one side of the metaphorical straits will be the fast of the 17th day of Tammuz. At that time, almost 2,000 years ago, in the year 70 of the Common Era,