Sunday, November 17, 2013

Blow a Shofar in Zion


Blowing a shofar in Zion


MARCO SOUNDS THE SHOFAR
Israel Pilgrimage—2006

Marco bought a shofar in Galilee—
a long and spiraled Yemenite shofar
made from the horn
of a kudo antelope

With a deep and steady breath
Marco blasts its harrowing thunder
over the Mount of Olives
the Western Wall
the Jordan River
and just about every site
we visit in holy Zion

trumpeting its long distinctive wail
to jolt us from our complacency—

Wake up!

Warning all hearers:

Prepare! Repent!

Wake up! Oh Sleepers—
Wake up! and follow the Lord!

Anne brought her tambourine
from New Jersey—
It’s shaped like a Star of David
Colorful ribbons stream
from its six points

Like Miriam, Anne lifts it high
and dances with delight
praising Adonai with worshipful women
from all over the world
Their swirling skirts sweep the ground
It’s Shabbat, in Jerusalem
at the Western Wall

and I bought a tallit in Tiberius—
blue and white like the Israeli flag
with knotted fringes in the corners
to remind me God’s promises are true

a traditional prayer shawl
to wrap snuggly around my shoulders
like God’s strong and loving arms
enfolding me
as I pray

Maude Carolan Pych


Four to five hundred pilgrims from Beth Israel Worship Center in Wayne, NJ, continue to tour the Holy Land with Rabbi Jonathan. I'm sure they'll all be so mightily blessed that they'll never be the same.The above poem was written following my last pilgrimage and is one my series of poems of pilgrimage. If you'd like to read more, go to the Blog Archive on the right and click on September, October and November or scroll to the end for information about ordering my chapbook, "A Pilgrim's Quest".

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