A Chanukah Story

Many years ago
when I was a little girl
must have had been
when Ann Frank's diary
first revealed

It captured the minds,
hearts, imaginations
of many

struck a chord
where commitment
had been banished

but I was
just a little girl
naive
and parched

On tv
still a new media
though
not called that

I still remember
the show
imagined
being in the holocaust
or Antiochus's Greece

forbidden to celebrate
any Jewish holiday
so
a man risked his life
to light
his Chanukiya
his menora
because it was so important

then
he was reminded
that
he really lived
in a world
where Judaism was permitted

but
he made no effort
kept no commandments

And the message
burned within me
that we mustn't wait
we mustn't ignore

We should take advantage
of our freedom
to be Jews
and be Jewish

Or
G-d forbid
we will lose it

Chag Urim Sameach