🆕 תְּפִלַּת הַזְכָּרָה לַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת רִבּוֹא קִדּוּשֵׁנוּ שׁוֹאַת תרצ״ט-תש״ה | Memorial prayer for our six million martyrs who perished during the Nazi regime, by Shlomo Fundaminsky (1956)

Contributor(s):

Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Abraham Rosenfeld (translation) and Shlomo Fundaminsky

Shared on:

23 October 2026 under the Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication

Categories:

🇮🇱 Yom haShoah (27 Nisan), 🌐 Holocaust Remembrance Day (January 27th), Kristallnacht (9-10 November, 16 Marḥeshvan), Asarah b'Tevet, 🇺🇸 Days of Remembrance of the Victims of the Holocaust (28-29 April)

Tags:

20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., acrostic, Acrostic signature, פיוטים piyyuṭim, קינות Ḳinōt, the Holocaust

Source (Hebrew)	Translation (English)
	The following verses are intoned by the Reader and repeated by the Congregation
אֱׄלֹהֵינוּ וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ, בּׄוֹרְׄאֵֽנוּ וְצוּר יְשׁוּעָתֵֽנוּ, הַׄבִּֽיטָה מִׄמְּרוֹמֶֽיךָ וּרְאֵה בְעָנְיֵֽנוּ׃	O our God and God of our fathers, our Creator and Rock of our salvation, look down from thy heights and see our affliction
אָתָֽאנוּ לְפָנֶֽיךָ בְּשִׁבְרוֹן לִבֵּֽנוּ, דְָּפַֽקְנוּ דְלָתֶֽיךָ בְּדִכְאוֹן רוּחֵנוּ, הַאֲזִֽינָה לְקוֹל תַּחֲנוּנֵֽנוּ׃	We come before thee with a broken heart, we knock at thy doors with a crushed spirit, O hearken to the voice of our supplication.
לִבֵּֽנוּ נִשְׁבַּר בְּקִרְבֵּֽנוּ, כַּחֲלִילִים יֶחֱמוּ מֵעֵֽינוּ, בְּזָכְרֵֽנוּ שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת רִבּוֹא חֲלָלֵֽינוּ׃	Our heart is broken within us, our bowels moan like flutes,^[1] Flutes which produce wailing tones. cf. M.D. on Jer. 48.36. a. Lem. 1.2. when we recall our six million slain.
לִזְאֵבֵי־אָדָם נִמְכְּרוּ אַחֵֽינוּ, לִפְרִיצֵי־חַיּוֹת נִמְסְרוּ אַחְיוֹתֵֽנוּ, טֶֽרֶף לְחֶלְאַת־הָאָדָם הָיוּ עוֹלָלֵֽינוּ וְטַפֵּֽנוּ׃	Our brothers were sold to human wolves, our sisters were delivered to ferocious beasts, our infants and babes became a prey to the dregs of mankind.
מָֽוֶת שְׁכֹל וְאַלְמוֹן עָלוּ בְּחַלּוֹנֵֽינוּ, הוֹרִים וְטִפּוּחֵיהֶם נִשְׂרְפוּ לְעֵינֵֽינוּ, וּבְחַדְרֵי־גָז גָּוְעוּ בְּאֶחָד אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃	Death, bereavement and widowhood penetrated our windows, parents with their tender children were burnt before our own eyes, and with the Shema^[2] Lit. (with) one is our God. (on their lips) they perished in the gas chambers.
מְאוֹרוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּבוּ בִּמְעוֹנוֹתֵֽינוּ, אַרְזֵי הַלְּבָנוֹן שֹׁרְשוּ מִקִּרְבֵּֽנוּ, בַּאֲנִי מַאֲמִין נִגְדְּעוּ בְּמִקְדָּשֵֽׁינוּ׃	The lamps of Israel were extinguished in our dwellings, the cedars of Lebanon were uprooted from our midst, with (the singing of) “I Believe,”^[3] i.e., the belief in the coming of the Messiah. v. A.P.B., p. 95. they were cut down in our sanctuaries.
לְשׁוֹנֵֽנוּ דָבְקָה לְחִכֵּֽנוּ, מְקוֹר דִּמְעָה הָיוּ עֵינֵֽינוּ, וְכוֹס הַיְגוֹנִים רִוְּתָה נַפְשֵֽׁנוּ׃	Our tongue cleaves to our palate, our eyes are a fount of tears, and our soul has drunk in full the cup of sorrow.
לָֽמָּה עֲזַבְתָּֽנוּ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ, לָמָּה עָמַֽדְתָּ מֵרָחוֹק בְּעֵת צָרָתֵֽנוּ, לָֽמָּה הֶחֱרַֽשְׁתָּ עֵת שָׁפְכוּ הֶעָרִיצִים כַּמַּֽיִם דָּמֵֽנוּ׃	Why didst thou forsake us, O our God? Why didst thou stand afar at the time of our distress? Why didst thou keep silent when the tyrants spilled our blood like water?
אֵיפֹה נִמְצָא מָזוֹר לִפְצָעֵֽינוּ, מֵאַֽיִן יָבֹֽאוּ נִחוּמִים לְאֶבְלֵֽנוּ, אֵיכָֽכָה נִשְׁכַּח אֶת מַחְמַדֵּֽינוּ׃	Where can we find a remedy for our wounds? Whence shall comfort come for our mourning? How can we forget our beloved ones?
אֲבֵלִים נוֹתַֽרְנוּ בְּשִׁמְמָתֵֽנוּ, בּוֹדְדִים נִשְׁאַֽרְנוּ בִּיגוֹנֵֽנוּ, אוֹיָה כִּי גָדוֹל כַּיָּם שִׁבְרֵֽנוּ׃	We remain mourners in our desolation, we were left solitary with our sorrow, woe (to us)! For our calamity is as great as the sea.
רְאֵה יְיָ חֶרְפָּתֵֽנוּ, הַבִּֽיטָה עַל שִׁפְלוּתֵֽנוּ, שׁוּר כִּי עַד שְׁאוֹל הוּרַד כְּבוֹדֵֽנוּ׃	See, O Lord, our disgrace, look down upon our humiliation, behold how our glory has been brought down to the grave.
רַחֶם־נָא עַל שְׁרִידֵֽינוּ, שִׂים בְּנֹאדְךָ דִמְעוֹתֵֽינוּ, נְצֹר בְּאוֹצָרְךָ שֶֽׁפֶךְ־דָּמֵֽנוּ׃	Have mercy, we beseech thee, upon our remnants, place our tears in thy flask, preserve in thy storehouse our blood that has been spilled.
חַיֵּי־נֵֽצַח הַנְחֵל לִקְדוֹשֵֽׁינוּ, בִּצְרוֹר הַחַיִּים צְרֹר נִשְׁמוֹת טְהוֹרֵֽינוּ, כִּי דָמָם נִשְׁפַּךְ עַל מִזְבַּחֲךָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃	Cause thy^[4] Lit. our. martyrs to inherit eternal life, bind up the souls of our pure ones in the bond of life, for their blood was spilled on thy altar, O our God.
חֲמָל־נָא עַל אֲבֵלֵֽנוּ, הַצְמַח נִחוּמִים לְאַחֵֽינוּ וּלְאַחְיוֹתֵֽינוּ, זְכֹר כִּי הֵם שְׁאֵרִית פְּלֵטָתֵֽנוּ׃	Have pity, we pray thee, upon our mourners, cause comfort to spring forth to our brothers and sisters, remember that they are the remnant that has escaped.
מְחֵה בְּרַחֲמֶֽיךָ דִמְעוֹת אֻמְלָלֵֽינוּ, הֲפָךְ בְּטוּבְךָ לְשָׂשׂוֹן אֶבְלֵֽנוּ, אֱצֹל בְּחַסְדְּךָ מֵהוֹדְךָ עָלֵינוּ׃	In thy mercy wipe away the tears of our unfortunate ones, in thy goodness turn our mourning into joy, in thy kindness bestow thy splendour upon us.
מָזוֹר וָתֶֽרֶף הַמְצֵא לִפְצָעֵֽינוּ, הַעֲלֵה אֲרוּכָה לְכׇל מַכּוֹתֵֽינוּ, וְהָרֵם בִּישׁוּעָתְךָ מֵעָפָר קָרְנֵֽנוּ׃	Bring forth balm and remedy for our wounds, grant healing to all our sores, and in thy salvation lift up our pride from the dust.
יְיָ יְיָ ׀ אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן שְׁמַע קוֹלֵֽנוּ, חוּס וְרַחֵם עֲלֵֽינוּ, וְהָשֵׁב שְׁכִינָתְךָ לְצִיּוֹן עִיר קָדְשֵֽׁנוּ׃	O Lord, O Lord, Merciful and Gracious God, hear our voice, spare us and have compassion upon us, and restore thy divine presence to Ẓíōn, our Holy city.
יַעֲלֶה לְפָנֶֽיךָ זִכְרוֹן קָרְבְּנוֹתֵֽינוּ, יַגִּֽיעַ לְפָנֶֽיךָ קוֹל בְּכִיּוֹת אִמּוֹתֵֽינוּ, יִשָּׁמַע בְּאָזְנֶֽיךָ קוֹל דְּמָי תִינוֹקוֹתֵֽינוּ׃	Let the remembrance of our victims come before thee, let the cry of the weeping of our mothers reach thee, let thy ears hearken (to) the cry of the blood of our babes.
מִבְחַר בִּרְכוֹתֶֽיךָ שְׁלַח בְּאַרְצֵֽנוּ, מִכׇּל רָע נְצֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל מְדִינָתֵֽנוּ, וְהָיְתָה לְגָאוֹן וּלְתִפְאֶֽרֶת כְּמוֹ שֶׁׄהִבְטַֽחְתָּ לַׄאֲבוֹתֵֽינוּ׃	Send thy choicest blessings to our land, preserve the State^[5] Lit. our State. of Israel from all evil, that it may become a pride and glory as thou didst promise our fathers.
מְׄהֵׄרָה יָבוֹא מְשִׁיחֵנוּ, לְעֵינֵי כׇל חַי יוֹפִֽיעַ בְּתוֹכֵֽנוּ, וְיָצִיץ וְיִפְרַח עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיָמֵֽינוּ׃	May our Messiah come speedily, may he appear in our midst in the sight of all living, and may the people of Israel blossom and flourish in our own days.
אָמֵן!	Amen!

This is a qinah piyyut for the victims of the Holocaust by Shlomo Fundaminsky, edited by Abraham Rosenfeld and included in the latter’s Authorised Selichot for the Whole Year (1956) in the section on seliḥot for the Fast of Tevet. The specific edits made by Rosenfeld aren’t clear, but the inclusion of his name as an acrostic signature suggests that at least some (besides the acrostic) were substantial.

Source(s)

Notes

Notes
1	Flutes which produce wailing tones. cf. M.D. on Jer. 48.36. a. Lem. 1.2.
2	Lit. (with) one is our God.
3	i.e., the belief in the coming of the Messiah. v. A.P.B., p. 95.
4	Lit. our.
5	Lit. our State.

Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)

Abraham Rosenfeld (translation)

Abraham Isaac Jacob Rosenfeld (1914-1984), born in Jerusalem, was a rabbi, army chaplain, and ḥazzan in the United Kingdom. He studied at the Yeshivah Etz Ḥayyim and Merkaz ha-Rav in Jerusalem. He came to the UK in 1934 to take up the post of chazan at Walford Road Synagogue, Stoke Newington, London. In 1941, he began serveing as both rabbi and ḥazzan to the Finchley Synagogue in London and was appointed honorary president of the Cantors' Association of England. He obtained semikhah from Israel in the 1950s. In 1970, he was appointed rabbi of the congregation of Wellington, New Zealand and laid the foundation stone of the community center there in 1974. He returned to Israel in 1978. He briefly assisted the Edgware United Synagogue as acting rabbi before he retired to Jerusalem, Israel in 1980. His translation into English of the Seliḥot service (1956) and the Kinot for the Tishah b'Av (1965) received the approbation of the chief rabbi of England, Rabbi Sir Israel *Brodie. He composed a special memorial prayer for the victims of the Holocaust which can be found in his Kinot for Tishah b'Av. He was President of the Finchley commission of the Jewish National Fund and Joint Israel Appeal committee. A JNF forest in the western Negev was named after him and also a library in Wellington.

Shlomo Fundaminsky

Dr. Shlomo Fundaminsky (span class="hebrew">שלמה פונדמינסקי; fl. 20th c.) was a Hebrew poet, grammarian and Jewish educator in the United Kingdom. He worked for years at the London Board for Jewish Religious Education. An old-school religious masqil, he wrote the standard Hebrew grammar book used in the UK Jewish education system: A New Hebrew Grammar (1954), as well as other Modern Hebrew instructional materials. If you know more about Dr. Fundaminsky's life and career, please contact us.

Stable Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=69567

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Holocaust Memorial Garden, Gedling Country Park, no. 3 (Alan Murray-Rust, CC BY-SA)

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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו׃ (תהלים צ:יז) · "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." (Psalms 90:17)