By Lir Yissar Josefsohn, #MyJewishIdentity Contest Entry
What does it mean to be a Jew?
I light candles on Shabbat and had a bat-mitzvah too.
I pray to Hashem and have a Jewish name,
But there is something missing, what a shame.
In my Canadian house, I have a Mezuzah at every door, And yet I walk into my home yearning for more.
I go to synagogue and dance on my feet,
But when I look out the window, I’m missing something sweet.
I eat at Kosher restaurants and finish every bite,
My plate is clean but my stomach just doesn’t sit right.
There is only one place where I feel like a Jew,
It’s not Montreal or New York, but it has a great view.
The one place I feel like the true Jewish me,
Is a 12-hour flight away but only there I feel free.
9,354 km can’t keep me away,
Even when I’m not physically there my imagination runs all day.
I dream of one day living in this special place,
A place where walking into my home only brings me grace.
I imagine eating all the time,
Shawarma, falafel, and steak with thyme.
Praying and dancing at the Wall,
Feeling close to Hashem and having a ball.
I dream of walking on the grounds where my ancestors once stood,
Remembering and connecting with my history, as I should.
The one thing missing, from making me feel like a Jew,
Is living in my home state Israel with skies of blue.
In Israel, I can be any type of me,
The one that prays, wears shorts or covers her knees.
In Israel, I will always be welcomed as a Jew,
It’s the land of our history, and we are the glue.
