The Birthday of the World (For Rosh Hashanah 5775...and beyond)

With appreciation to Theodor Geisel, and his Jewish doppelganger Uncle Eli...

The Birthday of the World  ֻ•  הַיּוֹם הֲרַת עוֹלָם 
(by Jeff Klepper)

Today is the birthday, the day of the birth
Of the globe in the sky that we call Planet Earth.

Today is the day when the heavens were born,
When the sun and the moon and the planets were formed.

When the forces of nature were shaken and shifted,
With this beautiful world we were lovingly gifted.

From out of the silence there came a big bang,
The stars did a dance and the angels all sang.

Now, I've tried to explain without being specific,
(After all, it's a story, it's not scientific!)

We look to the Torah for the truth it can teach us,
But we need to be open for the message to reach us.

Our planet is fragile, every one has a share of it,
We are the ones who must tend and take care of it.

From The Congo to Cuba, Cameroon to Cape Cod,
We're one human family, in the image of God.

And no one can claim that their race is the better,
Their faith is more holy, their blood is more redder.

So on these Awesome Days, when we sing out "Ha-yom,"
Say "Thank you" to God for this place we call home!

© 2013 Jeff Klepper
May be copied (with attribution) for educational or liturgical use.
Thanks to the anonymous photographer.