Standing beneath the Arch of Titus in Rome during the summer of 1948, Jewish refugees and their spiritual leaders transformed an ancient site of defeat into a powerful symbol of survival. Through ethnographic narrative methodology, this deeply personal account explores how physical proximity to Roman archaeological sites - particularly the Colosseum and the Arch's bas-reliefs depicting looted Temple treasures - intensified the traditional mourning observance of Tish'a be-Av. While ministering to displaced persons camp survivors following World War II, the author documented how these material remnants of Roman imperial triumph paradoxically strengthened Jewish collective memory and resilience. Combining autobiographical testimony with historical-theological reflection, the research reveals how traditional liturgical recitation became visceral historical reenactment when performed at the very site commemorating Jerusalem's destruction. The timing of this observance, coinciding with Israeli statehood, marked a pivotal transition from historical lamentation to contemporary hope. These findings illuminate the complex interplay between sacred space, historical memory, and ritual practice in Jewish religious experience, particularly during periods of communal transformation and renewal.