Mourners Kaddish After a Mass Murder

Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’mei raba

Life is a volley of bullets

b’alma di v’ra hirutei, v’yamlikh malkhutei,

Time is a bleeding wound

b’hayyeikhon uv’yomeikhon uv’hayyei d’khol beit Yisrael,

in houses of worship, schools, shopping malls

ba’agala uviz’man kariv,

It seems that no one is safe.

v’imru: Amen.

God, these words tumble from my tongue

Y’hei sh’mei raba m’varakh l’alam ul’almei almaya.

marbles in a bowl overturned

Yitbarakh v’yishtabakh v’yitpa’ar v’yitromam v’yitnasei,

I don’t want to praise, I

v’yit’hadar v’yitaleh v’yit’halal sh’mei d’kud’sha

just want it to stop. Words, bullets, headlines,

faster and faster, they run

b’rikh hu

and I am out of breath. 

L’eila min kol birkhata v’shirata,

God, I am voting, marching, organizing,

tushb’khata v’nekhemata,

I don’t know if anyone is listening, but God,

da’amiran b’alma,

We are a chance worth taking.

v’imru: Amen.

Time, blood, thoughts and prayers

Y’hei sh’lama raba min sh’maya,

are never enough, but I can’t seem to stop praying

v’hayyim aleinu v’al kol Yisrael,

even though I’m not sure

v’imru: Amen.

You are listening.

Oseh shalom bimromav,

May the One Who Makes Peace in Heaven

Hu ya’aseh shalom

Make Peace

aleinu, v’al kol Yisrael

Over us and over all Israel

v’al kol yoshvey tevel

and for all who dwell on earth.

We are a chance worth taking.

v’imru: Amen