I'm Sorry/Slicha

Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is one of the holiest days of the Jewish holiday cycle. It

is a day of repentance for wrong-doing, for asking forgiveness from

one’s fellows and from God. Traditionally, adults go to synagogue, and

everyone over the age of 13 fasts, refraining from both food and drink

from sundown the evening before until sundown on Yom Kippur itself.

The purpose of fasting is to let the body focus on prayer and not worry

about day to day matters, and to be able to feel empathy for those who

may often be hungry, and thankfulness for all that we have.

5. Slicha – words and music by Joanie Calem

This is a slow, gentle song, written to encourage thought even

with the youngest children. They can all participate in the refrain

of “I’m sorry” and “Slicha.” Whenever circumstances allow, I then

invite the children to participate in a short discussion of what

things they recognize that they may have done that would be

useful to say “I’m sorry” for, and zipper those into the song.

If I hurt someone, or made someone sad

If I made fun of them, if I treated them bad

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I really don’t want to fight

Slicha, Slicha, I want to make things right

If I yelled at my dog, or yelled at my friend

If I hit someone, like my sister again

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I really don’t want to fight

Slicha, Slicha, I want to make things right

If I yelled at my mom, or yelled at my dad

If I made a mess, if I got mad

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I really don’t want to fight

Slicha, Slicha, I want to make things right

Sometimes it’s so hard to do what is right

Being a good person feels just out of sight

If I hurt someone, or made someone sad

If I made fun of them, if I treated them bad

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I really don’t want to fight

Slicha, Slicha, I want to make things right

I’ll try to make things right, I’ll work to make things right