If I Lived in Tzfat

By CHANA PERMAN

If I lived in Tzfat,

I would don a turban teal and gold,

Rise with the morning sun,

Explore the sites of olde.

If I lived in Tzfat

At 4 a.m., I’d wake to pray,

Befriend the artists and poets,

Enjoy tea with them every day.

If I lived in Tzfat.

My journal would brim with inspiration,

Chasidic gleanings and wisdom,

Odes to our holy nation.

If I lived in Tzfat,

I would shed all my petty skin,

Meditate an hour a day

Channeling chesed, not din.

If I lived in Tzfat,

I could sit at the local cafe,

See Divine sparks in all,

Uplifting every hour of my day.

Alas, for now I dwell here

In the North American chill.

I do not live in Tzfat

Yet perhaps one day I will!

Originally from New York City but currently living in Toronto, Canada, CHANA PERMAN is a Jewish poet, mother and learning strategies instructor. She holds a Master’s Degree in special education, and has worked in that field for 25 years. Her cherished roles as mother, teacher and guidance consultant provide inspiration and material for her writing, both prose and poetry.