Andrew Hanin: Congratulations (Response to Tree of Life Massacre)

Congratulations on your victory.

My fear of G-D

redirected toward You.

.

You’ll never see me

set foot in that depressed sacred space.

Those armed guards aren’t ready for You.

You caught them flat-footed,

made them pay for their mistake.

.

“All Jews Must Die”

.

It’s going to be a lot harder to find us now.

I’ll hide my candles,

my braided bread,

my curly hair,

and my horrid hooked nose—

somehow, I’ll hide it.

.

I am a branch 

that’s been ripped from the sturdy tree.

The trunk and roots of 

my heritage and traditions – 

things of the past.

I hope this bacon is as good as You say.

---

Andrew Hanin, age 18, is a student at the University of Pittsburgh.