POEM: First Knowledge
Image by Getty Images
Translated from the Hebrew by Ariel Resnikoff and Rivka Weinstock
Kisses to the wall
Kisses to the alphabet that hung there
& the trash-man asks me:
You still haven’t conquered
The alphabet? – No
Still no! First
Knowledge fear of heaven, in the first
Letter, aleph.
Secrets of secrets
In aleph! Kisses to the wall
There in the place where the aleph hung.
From “Shirei Malon Tsion” (“Songs from Hotel Zion”)
Did you know that only 2% of Forward readers donate to support our nonprofit newsroom? That 2% make it possible for millions to read the Forward without a paywall or subscription — removing any barriers to the full and fair Jewish story.
But while the Forward is free to read, it isn’t free to produce. Big stories — like deep dives into the antisemitism data, political scoops or reporting trips to college campuses — take months of research and fact-checking. All while we keep you informed of what you need to know each day.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Forward Publisher & CEO
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
