Thanks and Remembrance
PAST
Farm boys, city kids, the short and the tall,
Stepped forward to serve, and they gave their all,
Young women too, served as they were allowed,
And did vital work of which to be proud,
Codebreaking, nursing, communications,
Essential support for the allied nations;
Leaving the comforts of family and home,
They all said farewell, and set forth to roam;
They all faced horrors that no one should,
And did the very best they could;
They did their duty, they served and fought,
Then some came home, though many did not.
So on this very solemn day,
We thank those who bravely stood in harm’s way,
Our freedom they willingly did defend,
And for some it brought an untimely end.
PRESENT
There are many today who also serve,
And so our thanks they too deserve,
From the rising to the setting of the sun,
Let’s remember, with thanks, each and every one.
FUTURE
The fervent wish of those who’ve seen war,
Is for it to not happen anymore,
So as we remember our stormy past,
Let’s strive for a peace that will always last.
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby 5782/2022
Essen and Fressen’!
Kugel and challah, round and sweet,
Apples and honey – those I will eat,
Brisket, soup with matzah balls,
Wait! There’s more! That isn’t all!
Gefilte fish I’ll also take,
And Auntie Golda’s apple cake,
I’ll drink a glass of wine – or three,
And is that tsimmis that I see?
And honey cake! How very nice!
I’ll try a little – just a slice!
What fun it is to celebrate,
But OY! I think I over-ate!
I’ll have some Tums and a cup of tea:
HAPPY 5783!
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby 5782/2022
Introspection, 5783
Where am I going, and where have I been?
What have I done, and what have I seen?
As I stand at the threshold of a new year,
What do I feel? Is it joy? Is it fear?
How do I find the proper path,
A place of peace, devoid of wrath?
Then I remember what Micah said,
And I can move forward, without any dread;
I know what God requires of me:
Lovingkindness; humility,
Acting justly towards those I meet;
And now I know my life will be sweet;
My goals are solid, my path is clear,
With a grateful heart I start this new year.
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby 5782/2022
UNITY
(Inspired by Rabbi Sach’s sermon, July 30, 2022)
Until we respect each other’s ways,
Not criticizing how our fellow Jew prays,
It won’t be possible for us to be strong,
Try tolerance; then we can’t go wrong;
You versus me will make us weak – unity is what we all must seek.
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby 5782/2022
Welcome Rabbi Sachs
Welcome, Rabbi, to our Congregation,
Your arrival is cause for much celebration;
We’re thrilled to have you here at Beth Torah,
So happy, we feel like dancing the hora!
Your ideas and wisdom are just what we need
For a bright, happy future – we agree, yes, indeed!
May you feel quite at home right here at BT
And enjoy our friendly community;
At simchas, shabbat and on each holy day
We’re delighted you’ll lead us all as we pray;
And we also hope that you’ll find it fun,
To get to know us, one by one;
We welcome Lauren and your wee daughter too,
You’re part of our family, all three of you;
So pull up a chair at our kiddush lunch,
We’ll have lots to discuss (well, that is our hunch!);
We’ll drink l’chaim and share some snacks,
We’re excited to meet you, dear Rabbi Sachs!
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby 5782/2022
The Greatest Gift – A Poem for Shavuot
At the foot of the mountain the people waited,
Something important was anticipated,
There was thunder and smoke, and the shofar’s blast,
The momentous event had arrived at last;
When Moses descended, his face was aglow,
For God’s holy presence had made it so;
And so we were given the greatest gift,
No longer would we be adrift,
With holy commandments for us to follow,
Our lives would be rich, and nevermore shallow,
So on Shavuot, with thanks, we remember,
This moment that will define us forever.
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby 5782/2022
Am Yisrael Chai
1900
From the Tsar’s cruel and bloody pogroms, they fled across the sea,
Praying for their children’s sake, in the New World they’d be free.
When they arrived, they quickly found the streets weren’t paved with gold,
They’d have to work hard, but this was a place they could peacefully grow old.
And in fact, their children prospered, in their new community,
They went to school, they worked hard too, they found opportunity.
Others fled to (then) Palestine, they were the brave pioneers,
They drained the swamps, made the desert bloom, though they had many trials and fears.
1946
From the ashes of the Holocaust, the survivors started anew,
Left the lands of their cruel oppressors, who reduced them from many to few.
They had various destinations, where they sought a friendlier fate,
America, Australia, Canada, and some to our future new State.
And three generations later, they’ve gone to comfort from strife,
Hopeful for the future, in the lands where they made a new life.
1960s
They had lived for generations with their Muslim neighbours in peace,
But it was time to leave behind their homes in the Middle East.
North Africa too, was no longer safe, so they had to say farewell,
To the only home they had ever known, before disaster fell.
North America and Israel provided a fresh new start,
And seeing how well they prospered there would help ease each sorrowful heart.
The present
As we read in the Hagaddah, in every generation,
There arise new enemies, who seek our annihilation.
Sometimes, sadly, we’ve had to leave a home we’d grown to love,
And other times we’ve stayed and fought, with protection from Above.
Now once again the evil ones are spreading their poison and lies,
But have faith that we’ll prevail, despite what the enemy tries.
Terrorists, propagandists, anti-semites, still exist,
But despite their efforts, let me tell you this:
Our history, our tragedies, our struggles may make us cry,
But, dear friends, don’t ever forget: Am Yisrael Chai!
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby 5782/2022
Passover 5782
I went to the bakery to buy some bread,
Then said to myself, “Are you out of your head?!”
Passover starts tomorrow eve!
Forget the bread! Turn around and leave!
So off to Sobey’s I went with my list,
And stocked up on gefilte fish,
Boxes of matzah went into my cart,
But wait! The matzah was only the start!
Macaroons, matzah meal, pickles and chrain,
Then kosher brisket to serve as the main;
A nice big chicken I’ll also buy,
To make some soup for my favourite guy;
Don’t forget eggs! A few dozen or so,
(We need them for so many dishes, you know.)
Potatoes for kugel, and matzah farfel
(Although I don’t like it; it’s dry and quite awful.)
Then off I went to the liquor store,
For three bottles of wine, or maybe more.
I’ll be cooking both day and night,
So the festive meal will be just right;
But that’s okay, it’s a labour of love,
For we’ll gather to thank the One Above,
Who took us away from slavery,
To our very own land where we could be free,
With miracles and an outstretched arm,
He took us away from sadness and harm;
So grab your Haggadah and let’s all start
To celebrate Pesach with a joyful heart.
CHAG SAMEACH!
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby 5782/2022
Dayenu
Dayenu! Sing it with attitude,
The ultimate song of gratitude;
With miracles and wonders we took our leave;
So many reasons for us to believe:
A parting sea, and manna to eat,
The exodus — a momentous feat;
Count the miracles, sing them out,
Gratitude’s what it’s all about.
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby 5782/2022
Exodus Haiku
Moses led them out
From slavery to freedom
To their promised land
Ma Nishtana Haiku
Tell me why this night
Is different from the others
Asks the youngest child
Haiku for Ukraine
Let’s all remember
All those who don’t have freedom
And let’s pray for peace
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby 5782/2022
RECIPE FOR A HAPPY PURIM
Ingredients:
2 Megillahs for us to hear
(Do it with your loved ones near)
1 noisy grogger to blot out the name
Of evil Haman, our people’s bane
1 costume, either fancy or funny
(Perhaps a clown, a queen or a bunny)
A dozen delicious things to eat:
Hamantaschen, and other treats
1 basket of goodies for every friend
(Delivered in person or by Uber Eats send)
1 big donation for the poor
(Very important, that’s for sure)
1 glass of wine, or maybe five
(Just make sure that you don’t drive)
1 day of parties and also 1 night
COMBINE IT ALL, AND YOU’VE DONE IT RIGHT!
CHAG SAMEACH!
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby 5782/2022
Plant a Tree – A Poem for Tu BiShvat
Plant a tree and watch it grow,
You’ll change the world more than you know;
After the winter, cold and dark,
Spring arrives and leaves its mark;
Pink cherry blossoms, tender leaves of green,
A prettier sight you’ve never seen;
Peaches, apples, pears and plums,
Trees give to us when summer comes;
On sweltering days, they give us shade,
A quiet spot to sip lemonade;
Then in the fall, when the year grows old,
They burst forth in colours – red, yellow and gold;
And on a frigid winter’s night,
Their snow-covered branches are brilliant and white;
Essential to Earth’s ecology,
Please help our planet and plant a tree.
-By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby 5782/2022
Chanukah 5782
On your marks and get set, start your frying,
It’s a time for rejoicing, not crying,
Eat that chocolate gelt,
No, don’t let it melt,
If you’re not having fun, you’re not trying!
Scrape the old wax off your menorah,
Invite Uncle Moishe and Aunt Flora,
Quick, start your grating,
For everyone’s waiting,
For latkes, today, not tomorra.
Light the candles and spin all those dreidels,
Gather round, all you boychiks and maidels,
The family’s here, all your loved ones are near,
Even the babes in their cradles.
Hand out the sufganyot,
On a diet? Today, no you’re not!
We’ll go through the paces and all stuff our faces
With latkes all golden and hot.
We’ll remember the re-dedication
The reason for our celebration,
For oil’s the thing, as we dance and we sing
And perhaps have some special libations.
So we say “Chag Sameach!” to all,
To our friends, young and old, big and small,
For those brave Maccabees sent the Greeks to their knees,
And now we can all have a ball.
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby, 5782/2021
Menorah of Gratitude
1. For the scientists, we light candle number one,
For without their research, we’d all be undone;
2. For the doctors, candle number two,
They work day and night for me and for you;
3. For the nurses, we light candle number three,
With compassion and care they work tirelessly;
4. For the transport workers, number four,
For making sure goods can get to our door;
5. For the grocery workers, number five,
Providing the food to keep us alive;
6. Number six for the organizers
Who procured the Astras, Modernas and Pfizers;
7. Seven, for those whose jobs were lost,
Remember our safety came at a cost;
8. Number eight is for all of us,
Who sacrificed with minimal fuss,
Staying home and keeping apart,
Missing our loved ones though it broke our heart,
Sanitizing and wearing masks,
Doing what the authorities asked.
Now restrictions are lifting, we gather with care,
Grateful to see friends and family there;
The menorah is lit, the latkes are fried,
For all our efforts, let us take pride;
Like the Maccabees, we fought a hard fight,
So let’s celebrate for these eight happy nights.
HAPPY CHANUKAH!
CHAG SAMEACH!
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby, 5782/2021
Remember
When Evil sought its victory,
They rose up, saying, “Count on me,”
Men and women, and teenage boys,
All left behind civilian joys,
Travelling to an unknown fate,
To fight a foe that was filled with hate;
They suffered much, they did their best,
And some, too soon, found eternal rest;
Those who returned were changed forever,
And so we will forget them never;
Every day, not just in November,
We offer thanks, and we remember,
They bravely stood in danger’s way,
To protect the freedom we enjoy today.
And there are those today who serve,
Our heartfelt thanks they too deserve;
So for them all, the poppy we wear,
And include them in every prayer.
By Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby, 5782/2021
The light at the end of the tunnel
Finally we can see a light,
Can our future at last be happy and bright?
The light flickers, then grows ever stronger,
We hope we won’t be in this tunnel much longer;
This cold journey will very soon end,
Shortly we’ll see our family and friends,
And our sad broken lives will start to mend;
This imposed isolation was very cruel,
With lonely seniors, and kids not in school.
Businesses closed, and many failed,
So much sickness and death had entailed,
So much sorrow, depression and fear,
We lost too many that we held dear,
But happily, science has come to our aid,
And though we’re cautious, we’re not so afraid,
We’ve sacrificed so very much,
And longed for the warmth of a loving touch,
But the light (do you see it?) does gets bright,
And soon everything will be all right,
So we’ll just have to wait a little big longer,
As the light gets brighter, and stronger and stronger.
Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby, 5781/2021
How Many Tears?
How many tears must humanity cry,
How many innocents have to die?
How can anyone turn a blind eye,
Can’t we do something? Shouldn’t we try?
When hatred takes the upper hand,
Do we look away, or take a stand?
Do we ignore attacks on “the other”
Unmoved by the grief of each brother, each mother?
How many tears do we have to watch fall
Till we learn that bigotry hurts us all?
And when we’re the victims, as we often are,
Can we expect help from near and from far?
How many tears can we let fall,
Until we put an end to it all?
How much hatred can the world take
Till we learn to love, for humanity’s sake?
Is there a way to dry those tears,
To understand, to allay the fears?
How many tears will have to be shed
Till we replace evil with love instead?
Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence Sharron Elkouby, 5781/2021
Shavuot 5781
Ice cream, cheesecake, cheese blintzes and knishes,
It’s a time for delicious dairy dishes,
Also, a time to stay up all night,
Studying Torah, not binge-watching, all right?
A time for reflection and celebration
Of the way our people became a nation,
From slavery to freedom, to a land of our own,
With 10 precious commandments on tablets of stone,
And receiving the Torah, our guiding light,
Teaching the difference between wrong and right;
This is something we all believe:
A greater gift we’ll never receive.
By Sharron Elkouby, Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence, 5781/2021
Never Again
We pray for them and remember them all:
The young, the old, the frail, the small,
Families that were torn apart,
By an evil enemy without a heart;
The torture, the murders, the senseless hate,
We’ll never forget their tragic fate,
But even more is our obligation,
Stronger than our commemoration,
For as the survivors fade away,
We owe them our diligence, every day,
To fight every bigoted word that is said;
That’s the best way to honour our dead,
Our fight for justice must never end
For our promise to them is NEVER AGAIN.
By Sharron Elkouby, Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence, 5781/2021
Pandemic Passover: Year 2
It’s a table for two this seder night,
For the second year, and it doesn’t feel right,
Yet at the tunnel’s end there is a light,
So once again, we must hang on tight;
We’ll read the Haggadah, eat the ritual food,
And try to maintain a festive mood,
While an adult asks the four questions this year,
Instead of a child, so sweet and so dear;
So as we await the end of our plight,
We’ll attempt to add joy to this special night,
Remembrance and thanks we will express
And for now forget our pandemic stress,
Next year may we be in Jerusalem,
Together with loved ones; and let’s say Amen.
Choices
Do you like your matzah balls fluffy and light,
Delectable, savoury clouds that you bite?
Or do you like them big and heavy,
Roughly the size and weight of a Chevy?
“No one makes them like my Bubby did”,
That’s the refrain of every Yid;
How about sponge cake? Is it a treat,
Or aptly named, a sponge that you eat?
Macaroons are always a hit,
Let’s have them with tea, and sit a bit;
What kind? Coconut? Chocolate chips?
Whichever you choose will widen your hips.
What about horseradish? White or red?
Mild, or the kind that explodes your head?
And gefilte fish, what a controversy!
Sweet or with pepper? (not too much, have mercy!)
Let’s not forget our four cups of wine,
Sweet Manischewitz or something refined?
And matzah! Oy, such a variety,
Whole wheat, egg, spelt… (is there gluten free?)
We kvetch all eight days, and make such a fuss,
But see? We have choices! Oh, lucky us!
No need to moan and groan or fight,
There’s something to please every appetite.
By Sharron Elkouby, Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence, 5781/2021
The Book of Esther, Abridged
Elegant and lovely was our Queen E,
She went to her husband, the King, with her plea,
To spare her people: “Save them and save me.”
He listened to his faithful wife,
Evil Haman then said good-bye to his life,
Rejoice! Thus was ended the Jews’ fear and strife.
vs
He was an evil, hateful man,
And had a horrible, murderous plan,
Mordechai and Esther, though, turned things around,
And Haman was the one in trouble, he found,Now we drown out his name with a joyful sound.
Pandemic Purim
Please put aside your woes and fears,
Understand today is no time for tears,
Rejoice with your friends – you can do it on Zoom!
It’s a day for laughter; put aside your gloom,
Make a TikTok video! Dance around in your room!
By Sharron Elkouby, Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence, 5781/2021.
LOVE
Let’s give it, accept it, spread it around,
Our happiness depends on it, we’ve found,
Very few gifts are as precious as this,
Everyone needs kindness, a hug or a kiss.
By Sharron Elkouby, Beth Torah’s Poet-in-Residence, 5781/2021.
Hanukkah Candles 2020
1. For an end to Covid19,
2. To end suffering that may be unseen,
3. For the loved ones that we’re missing
4. For future reunions, hugging and kissing,
5. For giving to those in need,
6. For an end to evil and greed,
7. For compassion for one and all,
8. To thank those who’ve answered the call,
AND ONE BRIGHT LIGHT TO WATCH OVER US ALL.
Modern Maccabees
Let’s be modern Maccabees, and fight our powerful foe,
Shall we give up? Shall we give in? Absolutely, NO!
Just like the ancient Hellenists, it’s attacked our way of life,
Threatening our freedom, causing us trauma and strife;
But we have the weapons, and we have the will,
To keep it at bay, so it cannot kill,
Not with swords and spears will we take up the fight,
But sacrifice and patience will be our might;
So modern Maccabees, let’s stay the course,
Together, we’re an invincible force,
Like the ancient Maccabees, we can win our war,
And precious freedom will be ours once more.
HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HANUKKAH!!
Sharron Elkouby, Beth Torah’s poet-in-residence, 2020/5781