5 Things You Should Know About This Week

1. Tisha B’Av starts tonight

Sundown tonight marks the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’Av, which, in Hebrew, means the ninth day in the month of Av in the Hebrew calendar. It is considered the saddest day of the year in Judaism, as it commemorates the tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people on that day throughout history. Temple Beth El will host two sessions of “The Saddest Day: A Study of Tisha B’Av,” led by Rabbinic Associate Keren Alpert at 7 p.m. tonight and at noon Tuesday.

2. High School sports tryouts

Fall sports tryouts begin this week for students at both Andover and Lahser high schools.

Lahser Football tryouts begin Monday and will last the majority of the week. The rest of the athletics teams officially begin their fall seasons on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, tryouts for swimming (11 a.m.) varsity tennis (8 a.m.), varsity and junior varsity volleyball (9 a.m.), soccer and cross country (8-10 a.m.) are scheduled at Andover.

Golf and junior varsity tennis tryouts are scheduled for Aug. 15.

3. Bloomfield Hills City Commission

The Bloomfield Hills City Commission meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall. Funding for the next phase of road improvements, costs for installation of the Tree Beautification Program and a state-of-the-city presentation from City Manager Jay Cravens are on the agenda.

4. Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees

The Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees will open the post-Dave Payne era with their first meeting since the long-time supervisor’s retirement at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The board will discuss the process to appoint a trustee to the seat vacated by Leo Savoie when he became supervisor on Aug. 1. They will also discuss televising future board meetings and consider delinquent utility charges and special assessments to the tax roll.  

5. Book group open house at the library

The Bloomfield Township Public Library will host its fall preview book group open house on Thursday at 7 p.m. Members of any area book group are invited for an open house to see what the library has to offer this fall. Multiple copies of over 50 titles are available for extended loan periods. Participants will also hear about sources for reviews, author information, and background on literary genres.  Pick up tips to start your own group and how to make your group’s meeting run smoothly. The event is open to all and refreshments will be provided.