Personal+Prayers+2011-2012

= Personal Prayers =

Dear Eighth Graders, In preparation for Yom Kippur, please think about what you pray for or hope for. Write a poem of at least 12 lines, rhymed or unrhymed, expressing your thoughts. Sign it with your first name and last initial. Be sure to leave a space between your writing and the writing of your classmates. Wishing you all a Shana Tova.

My Personal Prayer Anna L. This year I pray for many a thing This year I want my heart to sing, I pray for spirit that Yom Kippur gives, I pray that everyone I love lives This time I pray for change, A time for people to rearrange To finaly feel the light of community Making people feel loved should be our duty Erasing all evil in the world Even if their lives have hurled Out the idea of love and care We should love people everywhere No matter what race, orientation, religion or creed The warmth of love is all we need So this year I pray that everyone is equal That every sin shouldn't have a sequel That all those I love will stay well And have a sweet new year, Shana Tova, as well

My Personal Prayer… By Ruthie.S

Yom Kippur, a holiday I do not really celebrate. But there are some things for which myself, I hate. Being mean to my family, To my cat or dog. To my sister, Don’t worry the list isn’t very long. Will not fasting really hurt my fate? Do I have to go to synagogue? I suppose this holiday is in good sense. After all, today is for repentance So I suppose I could go for an hour or two, Because I want to apologize for anything I did to hurt you. I hope that this year will be a good one, Filled with happy times and memories So maybe next year I want have anything to repent for. Next year on Yom Kippur.

THE NEW ME by David T  IN YEARS PAST, BEFORE THE FAST I WOULD SIT AND THINK OF EVERY EXPECTATION I HAD NOT PASSED OF EVERY PROMISE I HAD NOT FULFILLED OF EVERY QUESTION I HAD NOT ASKED AND HOW I PLANED TO CHANGE THAT BUT ALAS YEAR AFTER YEAR THINGS DID NOT CHANGE UNTIL ONE YEAR REALITY CAME FOR A VISIT REALITY TOLD ME THAT I COULDN’T JUST WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO HELP ME BUT THAT I HAD TO PICK MYSELF UP FROM POINT A AND MOVE TO POINT B  AND THAT'S WHAT I HAVE DONE HERE I AM, YEARS LATER RENEWED CALM AND COLLECTED AND NOW WITH FAST APPROACHING SPEEDILY I LOOK AGAIN AT ALL I HAVE PROMISED AT ALL I HAVE PLANNED AND AT ALL I HAVE AND I SEE SOMETHING GOOD SHANAH TOVAH

The new and improved me

Zachary E. Stein

This year I pray

For all my mistakes of years passed to go away

This year there will be a new me

For I am not perfect you see

I have made several mistakes

From headaches that were fakes

Sometimes swearing

And other times not caring

Then pretending to be a wiz

To then failing a quiz.

From Tishrei on I will

Say less things that kill

Stop pretending I’m down

Because I will come around

To make others happy

Even if they’re mad at me

And within in my new state of mind

I hope that you will find.

A new me.

Jacob S. __This year I__ This year I pray for a new me I pray for Israel I pray for happiness I pray for health I pray for Yom Kippur to go well I pray for good grades I pray for a good year I pray for my parents I pray for my brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles I pray for the poor I pray for the homeless I pray to repent All these things I pray for, are for the world, people around me, and myself This is what I shall pray for this Yom Kippur My personal prayer Tali G

My personal prayer is not just for me It’s for everyone who I care about so deeply My friends and family all over the world Wishing there safe where ever they are Healthy and able to run and jump Without their heart making a thump I pray that I will make a change Inspire people and help them exchange Love and friendship through out the world And helping them not mess up and make a twirl I pray that life will turn out just right And that everyone around me will not slip out of sight

__ What I Hope For __ Nita R. What do I hope for, or pray, you may ask? But for me to answer is not an easy task. I am not one to usually pray, But hope for things I may. I hope to make improvements in my personality, And by doing so, a better person I hope I will be. I hope that the people I have wronged, Will forgive me so we can move along. Last, but not least, of my hopes for this year, Is to understand what confuses me, Or at least to get near. A bit vague this last part may sound, And general, but useful I have found. Tonight is when the fasting starts, And I will go into it with an open heart.

Amos Epelman 10/7/11 The Story of Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is the day of repentance. It is the day that all my vows go away. It is the day that all my sins that I have made vanish. It is the day that the oaths that I made disappear to thin air. It is the day that everything that is for leisure becomes secondary. It is the day that I can give forgiveness to all of friends. Why can I not have this day every day? The answer of this I do not know but I know that praying everyday is a way of forgiving. But this is the day where everything is forgiven. But, most importantly, this is the day G-d forgives me.

__Forgiveness__ Gabrielle H.

I have done things that I am not proud of Everyone has, it’s part of life On Yom Kippur I pray for forgiveness From friends and family When I wake up I will be relieved Knowing that world is starting over A new year, new mistakes New promises, new prayers I look around and think He made a mistake She made a mistake This year I pray to make mistakes Everyone makes mistakes Ones that you can fix Ones that you can’t fix Either way you hope for forgiveness From your friends and family People ask you for forgiveness All you can do when you are asked for forgiveness Is forgive Your friends, family, and yourself

On Yom Kippur What did it mean when I was younger Why did I go to synagogue I didn’t understand I was just a kid I had no sins But now I am a young man I had my Bar mitzvah I realized I had to start taking responsibility For my own actions If I did something bad it was on me Not anyone else I had to change And now I am going to This is the time To say sorry To pray for forgiveness Toward G-d On Yom Kippur

By Ari N

A Better YearBy Elliot B.

This may not have been my nicest year yet But I do not worry, I do not fret Even with the many things I now regret Because Yom Kippur is approaching and near It is time to repent, start fresh for next year I wish to grow closer spiritually with G-d To stop rumors, be kinder, the list goes on and on But first I must stop and think about those Whom I may have made tears drip down to their nose Sorry, Slicha, Forgive me for my wrong Please accept my apology and they we’ll move on To a healthy lasting friendship that’s dear One that will last for many more years

My Personal Prayer By Jonathan S.

This year on Yom Kippur I am repenting For all of my wrong doings in this past year In a few hours I will be fasting for my first time Because I have recently become a man I now need to sit in services quietly Instead of going outside and playing I need to reflect on the past year For all of the sins I have committed And ask for forgiveness And while I am fasting I must think about the coming year

Becoming Better by Benji J.

I pray to God for not only me   But for the world and my huge family For them I pray for happiness and health I do not however pray for fame or wealth I would like Israel to become peaceful and wetter I would like myself to become generally better Following my morals would definitely please me   Whilst following the law, the school, and all of authority Improvement on qualities such as including everyone Patience and perseverance and efficiency would make life fun Although I know it is no easy task To God forgiveness is all that I ask Now that Yom Kippur has come I pray more and more for life to be less glum!