Written for Yom Hazikaron, here’s a prayer for the safety of soldiers serving in the IDF, including a memorial to Israeli soldiers living and dead who served in the past, as well as a recognition that we’ll need heroes for the future. It’s an adaptation of a prayer I wrote during Operation Pillar of Defense. May our soldiers stay safe and keep us safe.

For the  Soldiers of the IDF
Rock of Israel,
Our sons and daughters,
Our brothers and sisters,
Our family and friends,
Have been called to serve,
In the name of peace and justice,
In the name of sovereignty and survival,
To defend and to protect our land
From violence and assault,
From kidnappers and terrorists,
From missile and mortar,
From those who would destroy our nation and our people.

We stand with the defenders of Israel.
We honor the guardians of Zion.
We hold dear the sentries of Am Kadosh.

G-d of Old,
We know the price of safety,
We know the cost of security.
Bless the injured and wounded
In every generation
With Your healing hand.
Bless the dead and the bereaved
With Your love and consolation.
Bless the heroes of our past
And the heroes of the future
With a share in the world to come.

Source of Peace,
Keep our soldiers safe,
And let our soldiers keep us safe,
So that they return in life and in health
To the loving arms of our people.

© 2012 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

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Postscript: Here’s a link to a prayer “For Peace in the Middle East,” as well as a link to more prayers for Israel. One of my favorites is “Israel: A Meditation.”

Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer,” and This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. For reprint permissions and usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” To receive my latest prayers via email, please subscribe (on the home page). You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

Photo Credit: Alden Solovy

Tags: for the soldiers of the IDF, freedom, Hatikvah, hope, Israel, Jewish People, meditations on Israel, prayer for Israel safety, prayer for Israel security, Yom Ha'Zikaron prayers, Yom Haatzmaut prayers, Yom Hazikaron prayer