Poetry by Kehilat Shalom Students
Kehilat Shalom
Belle Meade, New Jersey
Sharon Taub, Teacher
Religious School Principal, Ann Kanarek
Read the 2020 Holocaust Workshop Student Poetry:
• Morristown High School, Morristown, New Jersey
• Maarif School USA, Bloomfield, New Jersey
• St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Edison, New Jersey
• Temple Beth-El, Hillsborough, New Jersey
To the Nazi Soldier
Leah Petronella
Grade 7 Age 12
Is it not enough for you
Pointing your gun at innocent people
People trembling in fear in front of you?
Is it not enough
That this is for your own pleasure
Is it not enough
that you like to see trembling faces
Fear
Sadness
Worry
People scared?
Is it not enough
To see all emotions on peoples’ faces
Is it not enough for you?
Is it not enough
To see poor people hurt
in the middle of the streets
to see people killed every day
To see all parts of the war
To see fighting?
Is it enough–
And tell me,
Will it ever be
Enough?
To the Mother
Joseph Neusner
Grade 7 Age 12
you, a MOTHER
with long flowing hair,
and with the handbag
directly next to this boy
for all I know
you may not even be his
MOTHER
you may be a random person
simply next to the boy
but for now
you are his MOTHER
his frightened face
needs a MOTHER
a MOTHER to help him with his hard time
so step up to him
hold his hand
whisper to him comforting words
because he needs you
and you are his
MOTHER.
To the Soldier
Sam Strauss
Grade 6 Age 11
To the murderer
to the heartless one
You had the power
but you used it for evil.
You followed orders
even though
they were full of hate.
You had your
finger on the trigger
pointed at innocents.
At a boy who had done nothing wrong
At the very person who could have
Married your daughter
Your mind is filled with evil lies
Why do you believe them?
Why do you kill for them?
You were not born hateful.
Yet you gave into evil.
Why?
To the Soldier
Noah Greenhouse
Grade 6 Age 11
Why be cruel when you could be kind?
Why be heartless when you could have a heart?
And why abuse others, if you wouldn’t do it to yourself?
Why choose this path, when there are a million
others that you could take?
When you apologize, it will be forgiven,
And when you say I’m done,
It will be over.