The Man From Vilna

I met a man last Sunday; he was on his way back home
From a wedding in Chicago, and was traveling alone
He said he came from Vilna, a survivor I could tell
And I helped him with his suitcase-
He could not walk very well
A steward gave us coffee as we settled on the plane
I asked him why he bothers – at his age there'd be no blame
"No simcha is a burden, although I miss my dear late wife"
And then he shared with me the story that has changed my view of life

He danced round and round in circles as if the world had done no wrong
From evening until morning, filling up the shul with song
Though we had no sifrei torah to clutch close to our hearts
In their place, we held the future, of a past so torn apart

I remember liberation, joy and fear both intertwined
Where to go, and what to do, and how to leave the pain behind
My heart said "Go to Vilna", dare I pray yet once again
For the chance to find a loved one, or perhaps a childhood friend?
It took many months to get there, from the late spring to the fall
And as I, many others, close to four hundred in all
And slowly there was healing, darkened souls now mixed with light
When someone proudly cried out, Simchas Torah is tonight

We danced round and round in circles as if the world had done no wrong
From evening until morning, filling up the shul with song
Though we had no sifrei torah to clutch close to our hearts
In their place, we held the future, of a past so torn apart

We ran as one towards the shul, our spirits in a trance
We tore apart the barricade, in defiance we would dance
But the scene before our eyes shook us to the core
Scraps of siddur, bullet holes, and bloodstains on the floor
Turning to the eastern wall, we looked on in despair
There'd be no scrolls to dance with, the Holy Ark was bare
Then we heard two children crying, a boy and girl who no one knew
We realized no children were among us but those two

We danced round and round in circles as if the world had done no wrong
From evening until morning, filling up the shul with song
Though we had no sifrei torah to gather in our arms
In their place, we held those children
The Jewish people would live on

We danced round and round in circles as if the world had done no wrong
From evening until morning, filling up the shul with song
Though we had no sifrei torah to clutch and hold up high
In their place, we held those children
Am Yisrael Chai

We danced round and round in circles as if the world had done no wrong
From evening until morning, filling up the shul with song
Though we had no sifrei torah to gather in our arms
In their place, we held those children
The Jewish people would live on
Am Yisrael Chai
The Jewish people would live on
The Jewish people will live on