Gather Us: An Interpretive Galuyot

This prayer is part of the daily Amidah, and traditionally, the prayer is a request for an “ingathering of exiles.” Jews living outside of Israel are considered to be in exile, and the prayer asks God to bring us to Israel so that we are not in exile any longer.

Sound the great shofar for our freedom

Raise a banner to gather us 

Community is the difference 

between home and homeland,

exile and diaspora

between longing for home

and building a home.

HaMakom, help us build homes

that become our homelands

help us discover holiness 

in every homeland we encounter.

We are passengers and pilgrims,

seeking community and creating it

in all four corners of the earth.

Blessed are You, Holy One, who gathers us in community with others