Articles

A Young Woman’s Psalm

Posted by Eva Jason on Mar 03, 2018 in Fall 2017, Poetry

Written by Abigail Jacobs-Kaufman

If I look beyond my body, and see through my soul,

my blood carries the history of my people.

Within my heart, I hold the knowledge that I am of my people,

and in this, I shall find strength. . .

Ages of hate have followed us, and yet,

those who carry anger in their heart have not broken us.

In my hair, my skin, my nose, and breath, lies Ad-nai.

In the face of beating waves, and stinging wind, my heart is full.

For I am a Jew.

In this definition, I am one with all children of Ad-nai,

and, all the creations of such a hand; a community

who will wipe my tears, and raise me from the ashes.

Exiled, enslaved and damned, by those whose seeds plant nothing but hate.

I am not afraid of their words. They may rip at the fabric of my flesh,

and plaster their inability to love, on banners around the world,

Yet, they shall never remove the wisdom inside of me.

I am the child of pain, and love, and beauty.

You will never see me falter.

I am the child of my mother and father,

Of the congregation, and of the Torah.

I pray alongside my temple, and am caressed by an all loving Ad-nai

I serve a G-d who asks me to question.

A G-d who tells me to love my enemy, and to embrace all born of blood.

A G-d who hears my prayers even when

I have not uttered a word.

For, I am a Jew, and in this blessing, I find solace,

for my traditions are created by my ancestors.

I am willing to breathe life to the dead in order

to bring forth a new place of my own.

Unapologetic in my existence and validated in my stance.

Where you may try to tear me down, I shall build new steps,

and rise above it into a state where I am indisputably myself.