by Rabbi Naomi Levy
A year has passed
And our commitment is renewed.
Lead us, God,
To join together as a nation
To put an end to anti-Semitism,
An end to hatred and terror,
An end to gun violence.
Teach us, God, to honor the souls we have lost
By raising our hands
And voices together
In the cause of peace.
Because Torah is a Tree of Life
And all its paths are peaceful.
Work through us, God.
Turn our helplessness into action.
Teach us to believe that we can
Turn the pain of this tragedy into
A movement
To Banish the hate
That is tearing our world apart.
We must never be indifferent
To the plight of any who suffer.
We must learn to care,
To open our hearts
And open our hands.
Innocent blood is calling out to us.
God of the brokenhearted,
A year has passed
But memory of the martyred
Will never be forgotten.
Their lives have ended
But their lights
can never be extinguished.
May they shine on us always
And illuminate our way.
Amen.