A Kinnah for Today’s Times

I wrote this kinnah four years ago and unfortunately, it’s still just as relevant. It’s even more relevant considering that we expect the rest of the world to take our people seriously in light of October 7th and yet we ourselves do not take all of our people seriously.

For Klal Yisrael

Who has lost its way

Who has succumbed to bad influences

For that we cry

For the victims of abuse

Who are hurt at home or elsewhere

Who aren’t helped or taken seriously

For them we cry

For the women

Who are reduced to objects

Who have their faces erased and their voices silenced

For them we cry

For the women with talents and strengths

Who want to serve the Klal and promote halacha

But who are met with resistance from the Klal

For them we cry

For the baalei teshuvah and geirim

Who are finding their truth

But who are marginalized

For them we cry

For Jews of different colors

Who just want to keep Torah and Mitzvot

But who are questioned for it

For them we cry

For Jews who are struggling with money

Who want to provide yeshiva education

Who suffer with high tuition and crushing debts

For them we cry

For Jews who want to go Home

Who face crushing and very real obstacles

But who are dismissed as lazy or naive

For them we cry

For Jews who leave Torah

Who can’t take the hypocrisy

Who want to feel safe

For them we cry

For Jews who leave Torah

Who think it’s not true

Who want only truth but haven’t found it

For them we cry

For the abusers in our midst

Who make these terrible things happen

Who corrupt Torah and twist it to suit them

For them we cry

For those Jews who stand by

Who allow the abuses to happen

Who don’t protest for whatever reason

For them we cry

For the gedolim, men and women, who have passed

Who might have fought this

Whose souls are crying over this

For them we cry

But…

For those who are aware

Who write, speak, and raise awareness

Whom others try to silence

For them we hope

For those who understand

Who take the obstacles seriously

Who try to help for real

For them we hope

For those who spread the light of Torah

Who reach out to others

Who set the example

For them we hope

May we all come together and bring Moshiach speedily in our days