Under Zion’s sunny skies
Is where I want
To live and die.
Constant upon you
Is Hashem’s watchful gaze;
Our eyes fill with splendor,
Wonder blesses our days.
From near and far people
A mosaic complete,
We know that we’re family
Each time our eyes meet.
The galus once held comfort,
Felt stable and strong;
But it never was home,
Where I really belonged.
An orphan, a widow,
Pallid, in a deep freeze;
Hashem’s grace
Has healed me
From the dark centuries.
Through the millennia,
Israel,
Dor va’dor
Bore the pain of exile,
Bares the scars of war.
Your world’s matrix, Hashem,
Is entombed within lies;
Unlock the truth
That the whole world denies.
Please return to us, Father,
Awaken the lion;
Let the light shine forth
From Your house in Zion.
Please save us,
For this is the crucible;
Remember us,
For our contempt is full;
Let gladness arrive,
Where beauty resides;
Send the laughter of children,
Joy to the groom and bride.
Israel, you are the air
I breathe;
The more the world hates you,
The more I believe
Your destiny and mine
Are one and the same;
In my heart lies a flame,
My soul comes to reclaim.
I am one with your struggle,
In You my future lies;
May my dust join
Your holy soil
After I’ve died.
Thank G-d for the privilege
Of belonging to You,
Your Land and Your people,
HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
By Sharon Marcus
