ANI MAAMIN- JEP Boys Choir- Composed by Berel Leiner & Shmuel Borger- JEP Vol. 3

אֲנִי מַאֲמִין
,בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה
בְּבִיאַת הַמָּשִׁיחַ
אֲנִי מַאֲמִין
(x2)

וְאַ-וְאַף עַל פִּי
,שֶׁיִּתְמַהְמֵהַּ
עִם כָּל זֶה, אֲחַכֶּה לּוֹ
בְּכָל יוֹם שֶׁיָּבוֹא
(x2)

As I look into my siddur, at the words Ani Maamin,
I cannot help but recall that fateful day, some 35 years ago.
I was just a child then, but the memories of that day
are locked in my mind forever.

My sacred father, of blessed memory, was holding me in his arms,
well aware of the impending disaster.
I could barely hear his words,
above the sound of blasting shells and gunfire,
outside our small home.

My mother and sister had already been killed by the Nazis,
and we knew it was just a matter of time before we would be found.

I was trembling with fear, but there was my father,
speaking to me his final words with great pride and courage.
I can still remember each and every word,
as if they’d been spoken just yesterday.

Son, you must not be afraid!
You are a Jew and it is an honor to be a Jew.
You must be proud of it as long as you live,
and never lose your faith in Hashem,
even if it means being tortured or killed for it.

I remember hearing the footsteps outside our door,
and how my father shoved me under the bed.
With tears in my eyes, I watched in horror
as the door burst open,
and even as the soldier raised his gun to fire,
my father screamed with his every bit of strength,
Ani Ma’amin Be’emunah Sheleima…