Shema Yisrael: A Response to Gender Violence and the Men Who Wrote #ItWasMe

The flood gate has opened.

And the water is filled with the sunken.
From the depths, come sisters’ cries,
Faint but discernible.
 
And yet…the others look to themselves.
“It was me.”
“I did it.”
“Punish me.”
“Admonish me.”
“See me.”
 
The shame is paralyzing, unyielding  
Defacing.
And while brothers wander in the lonely pasture.
Sisters are still in the water. 
 
Let us walk from land to sea.
And listen to the prayer of the sunken:
 
Shema Yisrael
Hear O Israel.
 
Concern us not with how we are seen.
But with how we hear. And act.
 
Pulling our sisters 
and our selves out of the drowning place 
At long, long last.
Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on email
Email

Ritualwell content is available for free thanks to the generous support of readers like you! Please help us continue to offer meaningful content with a donation today. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Rituals

Shop Ritualwell - Discover unique Judaica products

The Reconstructionist Network

Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement

Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis

Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues

Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives

Presence and Absence: Images of the Divine in Kabbalah

In this study of the Zohar, Rabbi Margie Jacobs will guide you in exploring the Shekhinah, the feminine, immanent, indwelling Sacred Presence, through the use of art materials and reflective writing. Four sessions starting May 7, 2024. 

Get the latest from Ritualwell

Subscribe for the latest rituals, online learning opportunities, and unique Judaica finds from our store.

The Reconstructionist Network