I met a man last Sunday
He was on his way back home
From a wedding in Chicago
He was travelling alone
He said he came from Vilna
A survivor I could tell
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 why he bothers
At his age there'd be no blame
No Simcha is a burden
Although I miss my dear late wife
Then he shared with me a story
That has changed my view of life
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 the place we held the future
Of the 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
There I pray, it once again
For the chance to find a loved one
Or perhaps a childhood friend
It took many months to get there
From 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
And 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
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 whom no one knew
And we realized that 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
עם ישראל חי
עם ישראל חי