Elegy for the Thirteenth of Adar

by Andrew M. Greene

Dedicated to the memories of

Rahel Sela, age 81
Sylvia Bernstein, age 73
Leah Mizrahi, age 61
Dan Dversky, age 58
Gail Belkin, age 48
Tali Gordon, age 25
Inbar Atiya, age 22
Assaf Wachs, age 21
Hadas Dror, age 15
Bat-Hen Shahak, age 15
Dana Gutherman, age 14
Yovav Levy, age 12
Kobi Zaharon, age 12

It was a beautiful March afternoon, warm and bright.
The sun speckled through the leaves, tickling our sight.
And the children cavorted in costumed delight
For Purim approached with the oncoming night.
Then the whole city heard a dull bommmmm,
And we paused, disbelieving and numb.
For the enemy had set out to destroy, murder, and annihilate the Jews, from young to old, children and women, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar....

Oh, cry for the children
who played at the mall.
Weep with the nation
who prayed at the Wall.
Mourn with the parents
who buried children.
And pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Amidst the glass shards that littered the pavement of hell,
The simcha of Purim lay shattered as well.
And drunk with our grief, we no longer could tell
Any difference between Purim's shouts and death's knell.
The chevra kadisha collected the parts
Of the bodies whose images tore out our hearts.
And we went out into the midst of the city, and cried loud and bitterly....

Oh, cry for the children
who played at the mall.
Weep with the nation
who prayed at the Wall.
Mourn with the parents
who buried children.
And pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Trembling with tears for the wounded and dead,
We dragged ourselves off to hear megillah read.
But every word that the ba'al korei said
Brought us back to the Dizengoff Center instead.
The scroll mocked our memories with promises proud
Of protection from those who would spill Jewish blood.
For how can I bear to witness the catastrophe that befalls my people? How can I bear to witness the destruction of my people?....

Oh, cry for the children
who played at the mall.
Weep with the nation
who prayed at the Wall.
Mourn with the parents
who buried children.
And pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

For the Jews there was light and gladness and happiness and rejoicing....
So may it be for us.

Elegy for the Thirteenth of Adar

by Andrew M. Greene

Dedicated to the memories of

Rahel Sela, age 81 Sylvia Bernstein, age 73 Leah Mizrahi, age 61 Dan Dversky, age 58 Gail Belkin, age 48 Tali Gordon, age 25 Inbar Atiya, age 22 Assaf Wachs, age 21 Hadas Dror, age 15 Bat-Hen Shahak, age 15 Dana Gutherman, age 14 Yovav Levy, age 12 Kobi Zaharon, age 12

Rahel Sela, age 81
Sylvia Bernstein, age 73
Leah Mizrahi, age 61
Dan Dversky, age 58
Gail Belkin, age 48
Tali Gordon, age 25
Inbar Atiya, age 22
Assaf Wachs, age 21
Hadas Dror, age 15
Bat-Hen Shahak, age 15
Dana Gutherman, age 14
Yovav Levy, age 12
Kobi Zaharon, age 12