Israel, My Home by Eliana Rosenberg, High School Intern
I look around my class
And what do I see?
Each and every student
Has their own country.
Italy is Vincenzo’s
England is Harry’s
Germany is Finn’s
And France is Elodie’s
Lebanon is Ahmad’s
And Sweden is Anna’s
Colombia is Alejandra’s
And Russia is Tatiana’s
Why shouldn’t I have a home?
I need one, I do!
Yes, I need a home.
I need one just like you.
Despite its small size,
This place is my home.
The land of milk and honey
Is where my people greet each other with “Shalom.”
One hundred years ago,
My home was but dust.
Herzl saw the problem
And did what he knew he must.
The Chalutzim came.
They cultivated the lands.
They carefully used
Every drop of rain in their hands.
Canada’s my dwelling place,
But Israel’s my home.
Finally, I have
A home of my own.
My ancestors helped
To bring life back to this place.
They knew that Israel
Would be our home base.
With a Swastika being drawn
In my neighborhood school.
And Pittsburgh and Poway,
These acts aren’t minuscule!
With more attacks in France
And in Germany too,
When my brethren hear
People saying “Dirty Jew”…
…I wonder
“Is this what it was like in Europe, pre-war?”
But no! It’s not the same
Because we have something more.
Just like Vincenzo and Harry
And Finn and Anna,
And Elodie and Ahmad,
Alejandra, Tatiana,
I now have a place
That I can call my home.
Jerusalem of Gold
Is my very own.
I hear people whispering
“That girl’s a Jew!”
Yes! So I am!
I’m still human like you!
Isn’t it normal that
A home I should need?
Is that request too demanding?
I’m not doing a bad deed!
One day, very soon,
I’ll no longer feel alone.
Because on the wings of eagles,
I’ll return to Israel, my home.
