Bags packed, goodbyes said, excitement in the air,
To celebrate with R' Shimon, the hour drawing near,
Hearts ablaze with holy flames, souls started to sing,
Infused with light, fortified for what their life may bring,
Suddenly reports came in painful beyond belief,
Euphoria and ecstasy, now turned sorrow and grief,
News too painful to bear forces its way through the door,
Hearts groaning in agony, please Hashem no more,
Precious lives snuffed out, like a candle in the dark,
Ilumination extinguished without leaving a spark,
Words like "Why?" and "How could it be?" on the tip of our tongues,
Each breath pierces our hearts, a dagger through our lungs,
We cannot be begin to decipher the messages of our desperate plight,
We cannot speak your language, nor read the letters you write,
Yet we understand what you convey, it is not in vain,
We all speak the same dialect, a heart so full of pain,
We received the message you are sending, we bow our heads in shame,
As long as nothing changes, everything will remain the same,
We will not let the tears we shed, become yesterday's story,
We must do our best make a change, and raise their souls in glory.
Please join the challenge l'iluy nishmas kedoshei Meron!!!!