Celebrating the Holiday of Tu B’Av with the Galena brothers in NYC

As we approach Tu B’Av this year, we are celebrating  a Jewish holiday on the 15th day of the month of Av that is essentially celebrating Judaism’s version of Valentines Day, a day of love. Historically an ancient matchmaking festival, modern Israelis celebrate it similarly to Valentine’s Day with weddings, romantic dinners, and parties.

If you are living in the Greater NYC area (or anywhere in the USA) and want to go to the best Tu B’Av celebration on Tuesday, July 28th then you don’t need to look farther than attending the annual Tu B’Av Party hosted by the Galena brothers in Manhattan. Isaac and Seth Galena are twin brothers best known as the creators of BangItOut.com, a popular Jewish humor, listings, and community culture website. Founded in 2000, the platform gained massive popularity in the Modern Orthodox and broader Jewish communities for its satirical take on Jewish life, singles events, and community news. It marked its 25th anniversary in 2025.

Outside of their respective careers, both brothers have been very active in the Jewish community and have always made it a priority to bring young Jewish professionals together. They were recently honored by Congregation Ohab Zedek this year at the annual gala and have played an essential role in the Jewish community on the upper west side. I recently had the opportunity to speak to them about the upcoming Holiday of Tu B’Av and what this special Holiday means to them.

What inspired you both to host the Tu B’Av party every year on the Upper West Side?

After college, we moved to the Upper West Side, and noticed the only places to meet new people as observant Jews were 1) awkward lame shul events and 2) pricey dark clubs. Where does a normal person go beyond a Friday night shabbat meal? So we enlisted some friends who wanted to do something cool, something low-stress, cheap, for Jews who don’t take themselves too seriously but wanted to have a fun time in this new singles universe that is the Upper West Side.

Tu B’Av came up by chance, and somehow it checked all the boxes: mysterious talmudic tradition, outdoors, wearing white. Just weird enough to work. Let’s try. So we did a “bangitout” event and somehow the venue, the white, the matching corny stickers just worked. So we said heck let’s do it again next year – that was +20 years ago. Now there seems to be a Tu B’Av party in every major singles hub in the US and Israel.

What resonates most with the Holiday and bringing young Jewish Professionals together?

I think it is just the mystery of Tu B’Av. Judaism is pretty awesome when it comes to holidays – but somehow Tu B’Av slipped off the priority list. But the Talmud states it (and yom kippur atonement) are the greatest days of Joy on the calendar. And all we get is no tachnun? Tu B’Av deserves more.

Plus, after The 3 weeks, 9 days and Tisha ba’Av people are searching for ways to reconnect and actually celebrate the summer, with like-minded Jews (who now have tans) and go out with a bang.  Pardon the pun. What could be better?

You both have played an instrumental role in bringing the Jewish singles community of New York together, what is your biggest vision for this year?

The vision for this year and every year is stepping back with a beer and wandering through a crowded sea of beautiful Jewish singles, from all walks of life. Seeing people laughing, smiling, engaging. Celebrating being outdoors, being Jewish, being together. This vision is life-affirming. Knowing that for one summer night there is a community that celebrates being Jewish, being proud, and being alive. Am Yisroel Chai, Illuminated in real life. The link for the upcoming Event is https://www.eventcreate.com/e/tuba2026nyc and we hope that all who can make it will attend this beautiful Evening that brings young professionals together on Tu B’Av.