So much pain our nation must bear

While most of the world seems not to care

How can one be human — yet not feel the pain

How can one comprehend this — it is just so insane

We sadly know the truth, while the news anchors lie

We show the world facts but they continue to deny

They yell and they scream and want us all dead

We want to feel safe and be at peace instead

We cry out loud — we cry in our sleep

The pain of the losses is expansive and deep

When will there be an end to these flowing tears

When will there be peace and an end to our fears

We pray for the hostages to safely return

In our hearts and minds, the pictures of each one burns

Each day they are gone is painful and endless

All the lives lost is tragic and senseless

Families are broken — empty tables and beds

So many families have had to bury their dead

Our soldiers are proud, determined and strong

Defending our people — fighting for the land where we belong

Each soldier that falls takes a piece of my heart

Some days I feel like I will just fall apart

I am proud yet worried and often filled with dread

Thinking of my three chayalim fighting, as I lay awake in bed

Hashem we have hard questions — too hard to ask

Strengthening our emunah right now is a challenging task

Supporting each other — Achdut of our nation

Helping one another — whether stranger or relation

With prayer, chesed and tzedakah we all intend

To implore Hashem to make this war come to an end

May our tefilot be answered and our nation be healed

May the nissim of Hashem be revealed and not concealed

May we only grow closer and work to be better

May we know only of simcha and celebrate together

Nechama Pudell and her husband live in Teaneck. All of their children and grandchildren live in Israel. Two married sons are in the IDF reserves serving at the Lebanon border and the third and youngest son drafted this past March with Lev LaChayal and is in Gaza. May Hashem bring all of the soldiers and hostages home safely.