Remember

Remember when we used to
Turn on our phone
To check the weather?
Not whether
Our brothers
Are alive

Remember when we used to
Take walks
In the park?
Now we march
To the words
Bring Them Home

Remember when we used to
Scroll through
Pictures of
Happy families?
Now we picture
The families
Of the fallen

Remember when we used to
Think we were
Welcome
And at home
In homes outside of
Our homeland?

Remember when we used to
Eat
Pray
Sleep
And wake
Without the weight
Of waiting
For this war
We’re waging
To be won…

And when it finally is…
Will there be
Too many to
Memorialize?
Our memory
Put on overdrive?
The numbers
Driving up in size…
Will we be able to
Rise?
Will we ever
Be able to
Remember?

About the Author

Zahava Bauer grew up in Teaneck, NJ and recently made Aliyah to Efrat from Bala Cynwyd, PA with her husband and three children. She is an English teacher in Ulpanat Oriya, and previously taught in Caskey Torah Academy in Philly. She loves to write poetry in her spare time, and enjoys snow days, hiking, and a day at the beach. Her Bachelor’s degrees are from Stern in Jewish Education and English Literature, and her Master’s degrees are from Azrieli and GPATS. She hopes for nothing more than peace in the Middle East and achdut among Am Yisrael!