Sholom Aleichem Poem by gershon hepner

“Sholom aleichem” is just half the greeting.
You’re always waiting for the other
from the person whom you may be meeting,
the affirmation that makes you his brother,
or sister, far more than a casual friend
about whom you don’t care at all, for
the words “aleichem sholom” are what send
the message that is able to restore
your soul, yes, even when you’re walking in
the valley of death’s shadow. They are able
to join you to the other like a twin
who sits with you together at the table
where if the fellowship is joined by wit,
two people stands together in one column,
both willing to engage and to admit
each other into their own private sholom.

Inspired by a Center for Jewish Studies seminar at UCLA on November 8,2009 on Sholom Aleichem, the name adopted by the Yiddish writer Sholom Rabinovitch. Two speakers, Olga Litvak and Marcus Moseley, as well as the Irish performing artist Caraid O’Brien wo is fluent in Yiddish as well as English and Gaelic, all drew attention to the fact that the name that Rabinovitch adopted was brilliant since it begged for the colloquial response of “aleichem shalom”.

11/8/09