Aliyah ~

A granddaughter is love
In a bright pink bow
A bundle of happiness
With face all aglow
A tomboy in jeans
With a tear streaked face
Crying because
She has just lost a race.

Then all of a sudden,
No longer small,
She's a vision of loveliness
Dressed for a ball
A dreamer, a schemer,
No two days the same
What is a granddaughter?
It's more than a name

She's a pleasure, a treasure,
A comfort each day
Loving and sweet
In her own special way
She's a sense of contentment
Felt deep inside
Bringing a lifetime
Of pleasure and pride.

Winter Wedding ~

The fountains mingle with the river, And the rivers with the ocean;
The winds of heaven mix forever, With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single; All things by a law divine
In one another’s being mingle; Why not I with thine?  Congratulations Alysia and Shayne

Soul ~

When your soul is satisfied, you have everything even if you have nothing. And when your soul is not at peace, you have nothing no matter what you have attained or acquired.”

 

Never

“Never shall I forget those moments that murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to ashes. Never shall I forget those things, even were I condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.”
― Elie Wiesel, Night

http://www.timesofisrael.com/norwegian-muslims-volunteer-to-protect-synagogue/

http://www.timesofisrael.com/norwegian-muslims-volunteer-to-protect-synagogue/

http://www.timesofisrael.com/toddler-injured-in-2013-attack-dies-of-pneumonia/

http://www.timesofisrael.com/toddler-injured-in-2013-attack-dies-of-pneumonia/

http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/im-turning-40-and-this-is-what-i-want-for-my-birthday/

http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/im-turning-40-and-this-is-what-i-want-for-my-birthday/

http://www.timesofisrael.com/hundreds-attend-funeral-for-toddler-hurt-in-2013-attack/

http://www.timesofisrael.com/hundreds-attend-funeral-for-toddler-hurt-in-2013-attack/

Violin ~

“It was pitch dark. I could hear only the violin, and it was as though Juliek's soul were the bow. He was playing his life. The whole of his life was gliding on the strings--his last hopes, his charred past, his extinguished future. He played as he would never play again...When I awoke, in the daylight, I could see Juliek, opposite me, slumped over, dead. Near him lay his violin, smashed, trampled, a strange overwhelming little corpse.”
― Elie Wiesel, Night

Night

“There's a long road of suffering ahead of you. But don't lose courage. You've already escaped the gravest danger: selection. So now, muster your strength, and don't lose heart. We shall all see the day of liberation. Have faith in life. Above all else, have faith. Drive out despair, and you will keep death away from yourselves. Hell is not for eternity. And now, a prayer - or rather, a piece of advice: let there be comradeship among you. We are all brothers, and we are all suffering the same fate. The same smoke floats over all our heads. Help one another. It is the only way to survive.”
― Elie Wiesel, Night

" How can I behold the destruction of my people "

As Queen Esther said when addressing her King: “How can I behold the destruction of my people?”
I plead with you to put aside the politics that have obscured the critical decisions to be made.  Surely it is within your power to find a solution that will permit Israel’s Prime Minister to deliver his urgent message.
Will you join me in hearing the case for keeping weapons from those who preach death to Israel and America?
In traditional Jewish families we close the Sabbath with the lighting of the Havdalah candle and a quote from the Book of Esther retelling how danger was replaced by light and happiness, and the blessing: “And so may it be for us.”

Reinvent Myself ~

I can invent myself today
To be the woman I long to become
And fill one small mold,
Squeeze myself in
Like the memory I fit into
So long ago-
A relative child.
Before I grew into this adult uniform,
But that is so tiny a thought
And I cannot breathe in it.
The past invented me-
I want to be someone new.
Oh, I much prefer
To despair, to dramatize
To exult!
But I contain this and that,
Pull it all Together,
And get dressed.
I can fit inside myself;
Just for today,
I'll try it.
I can reinvent myself
But it's a common theme,
Based on the same old formula
My mother used to know.
To scream, to cry, to hide?
Today I am reinvented.
I smile.
 Shoshana Golden

A Woman

The following poem was written for my Mom who suffers from a connective-tissue disorder know as dermatomyositis. Despite all her struggles she continues to maintain her faith and does her utmost to take care of her family.
Her pathway has been uneasy
and although it lies deep-rooted
in the four chambers of her heart,
she embraces the illumination of a thousand candles
in order for darkness not to enter her home.
She is elegant in her ways
and the strength she lacks from ailing health,
is made up twofold in the beauty of her smile.
Her soul has been warmed by sensitivity
and those who have been graced
by the radiance of her presence,
often leave feeling valued and understood.
Her kindness is everlasting
and as she walks through the streets of life,
it is as if she scatters golden rays of sunshine
into the weary hands of the jaded.
When the icy frost of sadness overcomes you,
you need not travel to distant villages in search of finding hope,
for hope is only moments away,
in the wisdom of her empathy.

Tears Speak ~

Tears speak
What words can’t say
Death tears one’s heart
Death tears one’s life
It’s not real
It didn’t happen
It’s a lie
I don’t believe it
His voice still rings in my ears
His presence is still felt nearby
I seem to see his face in a crowd
Oh G-d! Why? Why? Why?
Yet his soul lives on
Not in a physical frame
But in the light from his life
His goodness, his kindness, his caring
Living on in those to whom he gave
His time, his support, his encouragement
Those he loved still keep alive
The actions he inspired
The deeds he taught us
A time will come
We will meet again
Revealing all we did
That he inspired, that he taught
Deeds speak
What words can’t say

By Esther Serebryanski

Hear No Sound ~

Hear no sound but
The beating like a drum
Of my heart showing me no mercy
As my lungs struggle
To breathe in the thick clouds
Of blood drops
Window of my soul
Staring into nothing
Feeling nothing
Only tasting the dryness of vitality
Pray, lovely angel
Carry me to the shores of salty waters
Where the infinite light burns
Away at the rocks and sand
To close your mind for eternity
And be brought to where the birds soar
Higher than the emptiness of the deep blue sky
Unlock the shimmering gate of tears
And let yourself drown in the black rain
Sew the torn parchment
Of our love letter
Together, again
He smiles, it is his fate
As six beautiful dolls cry
But the fires are screaming
As the dusk carries with it the burden of tomorrow
Let me believe in your steadfastness
When you swallow me up in your justice
Ha-Shem Hu HaElokim

I wrote this poem as I was trying to deal with the passing away of my best friend's father, and the sadness of the recent suicide bombing in Eilat. The "6 beautiful dolls" are the 600,000 witnesses at Mount Sinai, 6 million souls of the Holocaust, and 6 children left without a father. Peace.

By Sara Levitas

A Hero Has Lived Here ~

Wind how you dare
tease at the grasses
whip at the flag
lowered half-mast
Ants on her doorstep-
have you no shame?
do you not know,
who here has passed?
Strode here in olive
eyes said it all.
made a mother twice broken
a marriage unbound
A hero has lived here
he walked with Hashem
he lived for his people
left with not a sound.
And 'cross the way
soft child's chanting
his Father's last words
written in blood
In his bedroom
his mother holds him
Shema Yisroel Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad
In memory of Eliraz Peretz and Roi Klein, two Israeli soldiers from the town of Eli who were killed in action.

By Elisheva Blum

G-d's Presence ~

If she would have been there,
If they would have been awake,
If the world called a nation
Wouldn’t be so full of hate
Then all would be just perfect
G‑d’s presence clearly known
But a world without sorrow
Has not yet begun to grow,
So I turn too G‑d above
And I wonder how he does
A spill of innocent blood
Moments before the candles
Flickered beautifully
A mother’s silent prayers
Spoken intently
And then few hours later
The children that she prayed for
Disappeared from view
And the mothers silent prayers
Seemed to fade away
So we wonder as we look around
Our world so filled with hate
Why did G‑d allow this
Why are we too late
We want to live our lives
And hate we truly despise
So why can’t he just save us now today?
Flying flying flying far away
A mothers silent prayers
Whispered moments before
Were sacrificed in heaven
The reward even more
And down here we cry
For the loss down below
But down here through our sorrow
We know it helped us grow
Murdered for their country
Murdered through belief
The spill of innocent blood
Is what makes this world no peace
If only all was different
If only it wasn’t the same
If only everyone one would know
The power of G‑d’s name.
Then all would just be perfect…
G‑d’s presence clearly known
And a mothers silent prayers
Hit us all home.
If only everyone would know…
The power of His name.
So thank you Mrs. Fogel too
Rabbi Fogel to
And also to their little baby Hadas and
also too dear Yoav and little Elad,
Yes through all the sorrow
The murder and the blood
You all clearly showed us
The power of His name
You sacrificed your bodies
For something that’s not fame
You all clearly showed us…
The power of his name.

By Devorah Leah Goldman

Seasons ~ Anonymous

Blow, wind, blow
Clear the branches from the leaves and fill them up with snow
Shove the people in their homes so I won’t have to know
All the babies on their way and see the tummies grow
Watch them shudder from the wind as to their homes they go

Fall, leaves, fall
One by one they each let go till none are left at all
Clear up all the memories that clutter up my brain
Want to step ahead without the baggage of the pain
Wishing for some peace of mind so I can hope again

Come, winter, come
Let the branches stand out bare and empty for a while
People hurry frantically, not stopping for a smile
Force us to seek comfort in our blankets and our tea
Give us time to gather strength before you set us free

Snow, clouds, snow
Show us there is pleasure that the winter too can hold
Lips turn blue and cheeks turn pink while playing in the cold
Snow to stomp and roll and throw and shape into a ball
Show of lights and beauty as we sit and watch it fall

Melt, snow, melt
Time to leave the world you froze and let it grow once more
Time to hope for colors, life, and all the good in store
Time to warm our chilly bones and breathe from deep within
Time to face the world again with confidence to win

Grow, plants, grow
Just like me, you’ve had your time to hide away and mourn
Now it’s time for life again to come out and be born
Let us show that in the end the good will always rise
Let us match the shining sun and cloudless brilliant skies

Fill, trees, fill
There’s a rule that living things are never standing still
Life’s not meant to be survived but lived with energy
A purpose and a passion and a certain surety
That there are missions that Hashem has waiting just for me
And soon I’ll watch the pieces fall in place so perfectly

Empty Spaces Of Your Heart

Fill the empty spaces of your heart
The vacant crevices of your soul
With that which completes you
That which enhances the inner peace within you
Search for the wisdom you once lost at birth
Discover the beauty in your uncovered truth
Knowledge to hold true throughout time
Each discovery another symbol or sign
To the overarching Spirit encompassing it all
Vast and limitless Its presence overwhelms
Every crevice or space in your realm
of confusion and illusion
of frustration and delusion
Its presence transforms that which is inconceivable
Into that which is undeniable
With each step you take you're unstoppable
For in limitless love anything is possible

By Renee Bernard

" If I Would Let Myself Tell You "

If I would let myself tell you
Where I’ve come and gone
If I would let myself tell you
How far I have run
If I would let myself tell you
Where I now stand
Then maybe you could help me
And tell me you understand
If I would let myself tell you
About my hidden, darkened fears
If I would let myself tell you
Of my struggles through the years
If I would let myself tell you
My joy of breaking through
Then maybe you could help me
Continue what I do
If I would let myself tell you
Of the battles in my heart
If I would let myself tell you
What shatters me apart
If I would let myself tell you
How fragile I can be
Then maybe you could help me
Escape and just be free
If I would let myself tell you
Why I struggle with each word
If I would let myself tell you
How I’m scared of being heard
If I would let myself tell you
That I wish I could let go
Then maybe you could help me
Because then you would know
If I would let myself tell you
Then all this could disappear
If I would let myself tell you
Then you’d see me crystal clear
If I would let myself tell you
Then at least my tears would flow
Just maybe, maybe now
I’ll allow you to know

By Devorah Zolotarev

The Child Within ~

Marveling at simplicity
Realizing divinity
A child is alive,
Within, she does hide,

Though darkness beckons
And cynicism threatens
Our inner child calls
To disregard it all.

In spite of the pressures,
Challenges and stressors
Our inner child pleads
Take care of me, please.

Hearken to the voice within,
Listen to your whims
Dive in and explore
To life there is more.

Deep inside, a child prays
Awaiting better days
A hope for tomorrow
Life without sorrow

Peace and serenity
Health and prosperity
A sense of belonging
Hopeful longing

And although harsh winds blow
On must always know:
Our inner child is there
Guiding us, until we prevail.

By Devorah Bennish

Miss Me But Let Me Go ~

"Miss Me But Let Me Go"

When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me
I want no rites in a gloom-filled room
Why cry for a soul set free?

Miss me a little-but not too long
And not with your head bowed low
Remember the love that we once shared
Miss me-but let me go

For this is a journey that we all must take
And each must go alone.
It's all part of the Master's plan
A step on the road to home

When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to the friends we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds
Miss me but let me go.
Author: Anonymous

Lot of Heart ~

Life is like a piece of art,
It requires lots of heart.
Choose your paint and your brush,
Take your time, avoid the rush.
Before you paint, choose your theme,
Don't be afraid, to follow your dream.
It's alright, to make a mistake.
Your painting is real, it's not fake.
Look at your painting, don't be crying,
Begin again, keep on trying.
Your painting is never fully complete,
Enjoy the process, make sure it's sweet.
 Anita Poems

Let Me Go ~

"When I am gone, release me. Let me go. I have so many things to see and do. You mustn't tie yourself to me with tears. Be happy that we had so many beautiful years. I gave to you my love. You can only guess How much you gave to me in happiness. I thank you for the love you each have shown, But now it's time I traveled on alone. So grieve a while for me, if grieve you must. Then let your grief be comforted by trust. It's only for a while that we must part, So bless the memories within your heart. I won't be far away, for life goes on. So if you need me, call and I will come. Though you can't see or touch me, I'll be near. And if you listen with your heart, You'll hear all my love around you soft and clear. And then, when you must come this way alone, I'll greet you with a smile and say welcome home..."

A Psalm of Life

A Psalm of Life

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807–1882 Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

What The Heart Of The Young Man Said To The Psalmist.

Tell me not, in mournful numbers,

   Life is but an empty dream!

For the soul is dead that slumbers,

   And things are not what they seem.

Life is real! Life is earnest!

   And the grave is not its goal;

Dust thou art, to dust returnest,

   Was not spoken of the soul.

Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,

   Is our destined end or way;

But to act, that each to-morrow

   Find us farther than to-day.

Art is long, and Time is fleeting,

   And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating

   Funeral marches to the grave.

In the world’s broad field of battle,

   In the bivouac of Life,

Be not like dumb, driven cattle!

   Be a hero in the strife!

Trust no Future, howe’er pleasant!

   Let the dead Past bury its dead!

Act,— act in the living Present!

   Heart within, and God o’erhead!

Lives of great men all remind us

   We can make our lives sublime,

And, departing, leave behind us

   Footprints on the sands of time;

Footprints, that perhaps another,

   Sailing o’er life’s solemn main,

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,

   Seeing, shall take heart again.

Let us, then, be up and doing,

   With a heart for any fate;

Still achieving, still pursuing,

   Learn to labor and to wait.

I Am Free - New Life Worship Song Lyrics | Various Artists - Worship Lyrics | Christian Music Song Lyrics, Christian Music | NewReleaseTuesday.com

I Am Free - New Life Worship Song Lyrics | Various Artists - Worship Lyrics | Christian Music Song Lyrics, Christian Music | NewReleaseTuesday.com

Planning ~