Share the Prayer!
Please use these prayers. Share these gifts. Spread the word that they’re available.
Use These Prayers (Permissions)
Permission is granted to print one copy of each prayer in its entirety without modification, including the copyright line, for personal use or to be read aloud in communal worship. Permission is granted to post a prayer once in its entirety without modification to a blog or website, including the copyright line: “© 2012 Alden Solovy and www.tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.” Duplication in any other form requires expressed written permission of the author.
Stories may not be reprinted or used in any manner without expressed written permission of the author. Questions? Contact: asolovy54@gmail.com. For more ideas, click on “Programs and Services” in the right hand column.
Please Help Share the Prayer
Here’s my request, the gift you can give me. Help me share the prayer:
- Post links to www.tobendlight.com to your Facebook or other social media accounts. Say a kind word. Encourage your friends to visit. If you prefer, use www.kavanat-or.com. Both urls direct to the same place.
- Join the “To Bend Light” fan page on Facebook and suggest it to your friends.
- Mention this site in your blog. Add a link. Feature the blog in your blogroll.
- Write about this site (with the url) in your synagogue, chavurah, prayer circle or meditation group’s bulletin, newsletter, website, listserv, etc.
- Link this site to your synagogue, chavurah, prayer circle or meditation group’s website home page.
- Send an email about this site to all of your friends. Include a link to this site.
Please do as much of this as you’re able and comfortable doing. It’s my request that the more you use these prayers, the more you’ll do to help spread the words. I appreciate every effort.
Get Involved
Two more ideas for you to get involved:
- Post comments. What moved you? What missed the mark? Do these prayers remind you of other prayers? Other poems? Other authors? Which ones and why? How and when are you using them?
- Share ideas. Do you have ideas for prayers that need to be written? Please consider posting your ideas to the site. The prayer “Doubt” resulted from a friend’s suggestion.
Thanks for your interest and efforts.
Alden,
What a moving, spiritual website! How grateful I am to Larry Kaufman for putting the word out on the iWorship listerve. How may I contact you privately to request permission to use your material, as per your request?
I’ll drop a quick note to you…and a thank you note to Larry, as well.
Hi Alden: Thank you for sharing this wonderful, spiritual and emotional site with me. I was very impressed, please keep in touch. Ralph
Alden,
Your prayer, “For a Critically Ill Child” is certainly a gift to our family in these difficult days. Reading it/listening to you speak reminded me that I need to read your prayers DAILY for they are a source of true sustainance for a weary soul. I have been reading many of your prayers tonight. What a gift. And “Share the Prayer” is an amazingly unselfish choice which heals hearts. I am proud to call you friend. And I am awed by your talent. You are truly a very gifted writer and a very wise healer. And from all accounts, you can make one tasty loaf of bread! Peace to you. Keep it up.
Thank you for this latest gift, my friend.
I thought this blog was superb and everything that you referenced to was quite relevant to the cause. Cheers.
Your prayers touched my heart. My late husband was Rabbi Morris Gordon, who was also quite eloquent. He passed on six years ago. Our dear friend and colleague was Rabbi Sidney Greenberg. Eloquent. Thank you for your heart and your poetic expression. I am reaching you thru David Eisenberg’s blog. He is my son. lori heyman gordon
Thanks Lori. David is a mentsch. I appreciate your kind words. Alden
Thanks for your comment about David. How do you know him? For how long? I gather you live in Chicago? Have we ever met? best, lori
Lori – David and I went to college together. I’ll send you my email address to continue this conversation. Best, Alden
I am writing to request permission to print your prayer, To the Terrorist, in a column in our congregational newsletter. The newsletter is distributed to about 200 readers. Could you grant me permission and appropriate wording?
With appreciation,
Rev. Dr. Wanda S. Neely
First Presbyterian Church
Kinston, NC 28501
The permission is on its way via email. Thanks for your interest. Alden
Your words have been heard in Mt. Sinai! Read this at Temple Beth Emeth of Mt. Sinai, New York on Shabbat evening. Much appreciated by the congregation. Thank you!
Nice to hear. Which prayer did you read?
Alden
The hospice prayers are so helpful. Am I permitted to keep copies for myself? If so, how? Thank you.
Keeva
I’m glad they are helpful. You’re welcome to print one copy of any prayer (for personal use) so long as you include on the printout the copyright line that’s at the bottom of the page.
Blessings,
Alden
Thank you God. Amin.
Very moving!
Thanks. I appreciate the support.
The prayers are very comforting in this time of need.My partner and I are in Mexico and your poem helped to soothe us as we wait for news from family and friends in NY.
Blessings. May you hear good news only.
Que o todo poderoso proteja as famílias e as crianças fiquem a salvo!!!!
Amen
Thank you for this magnificent prayer. As the mom of a Chayal boded (lone soldier), I feel speechless. You have given voice to those feelings and thoughts that some of us can barely eek out….may your next prayer be for better times, in a peaceful nation.
Dayna, thank you for sharing your love and fear for your chaiyal boded. My prayers and thanks are with you and your family.
It is a delicate moment but The Almighty will help us!!
I was very touched that an Israeli would take the time to write a prayer for healing for America. It was not lost on me this past week the similarity with the many acts of terror that have occurred in Eretz Yisrael. Baruch ” all of our family members who live in the Boston area (including some in Watertown) were out of town when the manhunt was going on. Thank you.
SY, thanks for the note. I’m an Israeli and an American. And still, everyone I know here in Israel have been watching the news from the Boston area and sending their prayers. Alden
Thanks Alden. Your prayers are always eloqent and speak directly to the heart. This has been a very difficult week here in the states. best, lori
Lori, blessings. Many people here have connections in the Boston area. Lots of love, prayers and blessings are headed to the U.S. from Israel. Alden
HI,
I will be reciting your prayer “The Last Moment” when leading a shiva service tomorrow evening. I believe there might be a typographical error in the prayer as printed. Line 7 reads, “The last to chance feel.” Is it supposed to be, “The last chance to feel”? Perhaps not. Just thought I would mention it.
I also read your prayer “Your Name,” giving appropriate credit of course, at the opening of a congregational meeting a a way to help ‘center’ those who came to do the business of the temple: to remind them what connected us a temple members.
Thank you.
Thanks for pointing out the error. I appreciate it.
I hope your congregational meeting goes well and that the mourners and others at the shiva find comfort in your words and my meditation.
Alden