May We

Lyrics

May we always be forgiven

May we search for ways to grow

May we always have compassion

For those we know and those we don't

May we seek a brighter future

Find answers in actions, not in words

May we question what we know

And may we always question status quo

Shana tova

Shana tova u'metukah

May we seek out our reflections

To learn from the mistakes of our past

May we not just light the way for others

But teach them how to light their own path

Shana tova

Shana tova u'metukah

So we pray for opened eyes

And we pray once more for peace

We pray for those in need of healing and of love

We pray to shine in our beliefs

Shana tova

Shana tova u'metukah

Credits

Music & lyrics by Ellie Flier

Produced by Josh Goldberg and Marty Rifkin

Instrumentals:

Ellie Flier: Acoustic guitar

Josh Goldberg: Acoustic guitar, background vocals

Beth Alex: Violin

Julian Javor: Additional strings

Choir:

Emily Siner, Lisa Forberg, Cantor Tracy Fishbein, Jacob Ruden, Josh Goldberg, Sarah Ruden

Behind the Song

“May We” is the song that sparked the album. Not only does the line “pray for open eyes” come from this song, but what the song meant to me and the message it sends to the world are what I wanted to album to emulate.

I wrote this song on Halloween night, 2016. It was just over a week before the presidential election. We as a country had gone through a hellish campaign period where racism and violence had reared their ugly heads. I had also just come out of the Jewish high holiday period, which had been a very positive and meaningful experience. I was ready to put all the ugliness behind me in anticipation of the election.

I started thinking about what it truly means to have a “shana tova” -- literally, a “good year.” It was all about my hopes for the future, and how we were going to heal from everything that had happened before.

Now, after the situation has become so much worse than I ever could have imagined, the song is now even more important to me and to everyone else who listens to it.