Three years ago, high school students at Beth Israel Religious School collaborated to create the psalm/poem you’re about to read. Guided by Rabbi Sara Adler, teacher Mira Sussman, and then ritual assistant Meg Bernstein, the students produced a moving piece that reflects their voices and spirit.
Psalm for the Earth
Adonai, Source of Life,
The world is burning.
Our blue orb overflows with beauty.
It is a living organism–
Our home.
Source of Morality,
our earth is choking,
tired, covered in cement.
a giant mess, a dumpster.
Unknowable One,
We are hungry.
We are overwhelmed.
We are exhausted, even though we are young.
We are angry—at politicians, the rich, older generations
the short-sighted–because they don’t listen.
We are angry about the injustice of imbalance.
We worry–
about global warming,
that bees are dying, that we won’t be able to feed ourselves.
We worry that we are moving backwards
and incorrectly forwards.
But if–
people in power would listen,
if we could agree on facts,
if people who care had voices and actually used them,
if we used science to find solutions to complex problems,
if people could realize the time to act is NOW,
if this was not seen as a political issue…
Then, flat green lawns
could turn into gardens.
And the sun could power the planet and governments would support it.
Then positive change would benefit ALL and not just select groups.
Let us live in a world with drinkable water
and breathe-able air for all.
Let the world be diverse.
Let it sustain songbirds, insects, butterflies, moths, dolphins,
crabs, capybaras, rabbits, deer, squirrels, crocodilians, quokkas,
polar bears, rhinos, forests, seas, deserts, grasslands and icebergs.
And then, maybe we can breathe.
Then perhaps we can then focus on other issues
(like gun violence and poverty).
Source of Hope,
Let us live in peace,
and be grateful and appreciative
instead of fearful.
Let us live in a space where we
all feel safe, and let us use our skills,
our ideas
our love
for good.
Amen.