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A Liturgy for 9-11

Posted on: April 28th, 2011 by tobendlight

This is a 9-11 liturgy written for the 10th anniversary of the attacks. In HUC-JIR’s Tzeh U’limad, Rabbi Ruth Abusch-Magder, Ph.D., held a dialogue called “Remembering 9-11: Ten Years Later.” She then asked me to write a 9-11 liturgy. The original four prayers appear on that site. The post below includes additional prayers written as I thought further about the liturgy. Here’s a link to video montage of “For 9-11 Survivors.”

For 9-11 Survivors
G-d of the survivor,
G-d of the mourner and the witness,
Grant solace and peace to those still held by physical, emotional and spiritual distress from the attacks of 9-11. Release them from visions of death and destruction, from guilt or shame, from fear or anger. Bind their wounds with Your steadfast love. Lift them on Your wings of kindness and grace.

Blessed are those who have found peace.
Blessed are those without tranquility.

Blessed are those who speak.
Blessed are those who stay silent.

Blessed are those who have healed.
Blessed are those who suffer.

Blessed are those who forgive.
Blessed are those who cannot forgive.

Blessed are You, Adonai our G-d, Source of strength for survivors of violence and tragedy in every land and in every age. Blessed are You, Rock of Israel, Source of hope and comfort.

To the Terrorist
You who would hold the sky captive,
The sea prisoner,
The land in chains…

You who hide in caves,
Retreat to the wilderness,
Disappear behind false names and forged papers…

You who smuggle guns and arms,
Hide rockets in cities and bombs in homes,
Build weapons against the innocent and the bystander…

You whose designs are destruction,
Whose plans are fear,
Whose joy is hate…

You who harden your hearts
And wrap yourselves in death…

What evil has robbed you of your love,
Your compassion,
Your goodness,
Your humanity?
What lies have invaded your minds
So that you choose to die in order to kill?

We who love our lives and liberty
Stand firm and strong against terror.
We will defend our nation and our people.
We will protect our land and our homes.
And we pray for you to find hope and comfort
In lives of peace.

At the Hand of Terror: A 9-11 Yizkor Prayer
Creator of all,
Source and shelter,
Grant a perfect rest under your tabernacle of peace
To ______________________ (name in Hebrew or your native tongue),
My [ father / mother / sister / brother / child / wife / dear one/ friend ]
Who died [ in / during / because of ]
The 9-11 attacks on the United States.
Remember the works of his/her hands
And the message of his/her heart
Remember all those who were lost in the terror of that day.
Grant their families peace and comfort for Your name’s sake
And for the sake of those who perished.
Bring an end to violence and terror,
Speedily, in our days.
May the memory of _____________________ be sanctified with joy and love.
May his/her soul be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.

____________________

At the Hand of Terror II: A 9-11 Memorial Prayer
Creator of all,
Source and shelter,
Grant a perfect rest under your tabernacle of peace
To those who died in the 9/11 attacks on the United States.
Remember the works of their hands
And the message of their hearts.
Grant their families peace and comfort for Your name’s sake
And for the sake of those who perished.
Bring an end to violence and terror,
Speedily, in our days.
May their memories be sanctified with joy and love.
May their souls be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.

Memorial Prayer for 9-11 First Responders

G-d of the selfless,
G-d of the strong and the brave,
Grant a perfect rest among the souls of the righteous
To those who died in service to others because of
The 9/11 attacks on the Unites States.
May their dedication to protecting life serve as a shining lamp of love
And the works of their hands bring us all merit in heaven.
Bless the souls of all who have died to save others,
Civilians and professionals,
The trained and the untrained,
In every age and in every land,
Men and women who answered the call of honor, duty and service.
May their memories be sanctified with joy and love.
May their souls be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.

____________________

Yizkor for First Responders
G-d of the selfless,
G-d of the strong and the brave,
Grant a perfect rest among the souls of the righteous
To ______________________ (name in Hebrew or your native tongue),
My [ father / mother / sister / brother / child / wife / dear one/ friend ]
Who died in service to others [ in / during / because of ]
_________________________________________________ [name of event such as:
[the 9/11 attacks on the Unites States, the Mount Carmel forest fire, etc.].
May his/her dedication to protecting life serve as a shining lamp of love
And the works of his/her hands bring us all merit in heaven.
Bless the souls of all who have died to save others,
Civilians and professionals,
The trained and the untrained,
In every age and in every land,
Men and women who answered the call of honor, duty and service.
May the memory of _____________________ be sanctified with joy and love.
May his/her soul be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.

Other prayers that may be useful in developing a 9-11 commemoration are:

“Against Tyranny” – A prayer against oppressive regimes
“At the Hand of Violence: A Yizkor Prayer” – For those who died by violence
“For Bereaved Children” – A prayer of mourning and hope for children who’ve lost parents
“For the Bereaved” – A prayer of mourning for all
“After Shiva” – When the shiva is over, what next?

Postscript: Special thanks to my sister Mara Lund for her insightful comments on drafts of these prayers. Thanks also to Rabbi Ruth for the invitation to write.

Please consider making a contribution to support this site and my writing. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. Connect with To Bend Light on Facebook and on Twitter.

Photo Source: WikiMedia Commons

Against Poverty

Posted on: April 27th, 2011 by tobendlight

This prayer is good for your Passover Seder and daily worship. It’s from my series “Against…” including: “Against Human Trafficking” and “Against Tyranny.” The idea for this series began as I looked over a list of the titles of my prayers. There were 49, roughly a third of my work at the time, beginning with the word “For…” So I wondered, can we pray ‘against’? To listen along, click on the triangle in the bar below. The text follows.

Against Poverty
G-d of the hungry,
G-d of the sick and the homeless,
The voice of the forgotten echoes across the land,
Dismayed and abandoned in a world of abundance.
Our children,
Our brothers
And our sisters
Are left to beg in the streets,
To find shelter in abandoned structures,
To suffer illness without physician or medication.

Source of hope and mercy,
Rock of strength and fortitude,
You call upon us to stand in the name of healing and honor,
To witness against human life ignored,
To fight society neglecting human beings,
To muster our power and energy against this plague.

Bless those who dedicate their lives to the poor, the sick and the homeless.
Bless those who take to the streets to offer food, clothing and shelter.
Give them courage and determination.
Bless those who plead on behalf of the poor before the seats of power,
Governments and corporations.
Give them wisdom and skill.
May the work of their hands never falter
Nor despair deter them from this holy calling.

Bless those in poverty with resources.
Release them from want.
Hasten the day of their self-sufficiency and bounty.

Blessed are You, G-d of All Being,
Who summons us to oppose the tyranny of poverty.

Postscript: Does the idea of praying “against” resonate with you? What else should we pray against? Please drop me a note, if you’re so moved.

If you use this prayer, please click “like” on this page and subscribe. Please take a moment to post a link to your Facebook page, your blog or mention it in a tweet. Thanks. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!”

Photo Credit: Teach Girls, End World Poverty on ProductiveFlourishing.com

Japan’s Disasters

Posted on: March 14th, 2011 by tobendlight

A prayer for the people of Japan. Also see “For the People of Japan,” both written in response to the earthquake, tsunami and resulting nuclear disaster.

Addendum: November 22, 2016: An earthquake has struck off the coast of Japan and a tsunami warning is in effect.

For Japan
G-d of earth and sea,
Of ocean and shore,
Hear the voices of our
Brothers and sisters from Japan:

Our eyes know horror,
Our bodies know fear,
Our limbs know terror,
And catastrophes mount.
We are bereaved and bereft,
Injured and wounded
After earthquake and tsunami,
A tide of death and devastation.
This nation that knows atomic destruction
Now faces nuclear calamity.

Heal this land, G-d of Old.
Heal this people, G-d of Mercy.
Heal this nation, G-d of Justice.
May the suffering end and the disasters cease.

Please use these prayers. See “Share the Prayer!” for permissions.

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Photo Source: YouTube

For the People of Japan

Posted on: March 11th, 2011 by tobendlight

After an earthquake hit Haiti last January, I wrote two prayers: one for the people and one for first responders. Here they are revised after a tsunami unleashed by Japan’s biggest recorded earthquake slammed into its eastern coast Friday. I’ve also written a new prayer for Japan to encompass the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis.

In Devastation (Prayer for the People of Japan)
G-d beyond my understanding,
The earth has turned violent,
Shaking land and sea,
Sweeping our brothers and sisters off their feet,
Crushing and drowning homes and lives,
Upending dreams,
Toppling the foundations of hope and sustenance.
A shallow breath beneath water and rubble
And wailing in the streets.
The injured, the dead, the starving.
The new widow,
The new orphan,
The newly bereft turn to You
Divine Source of abundance and grace.

G-d of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of Japan,
All swept into chaos by earthquake and tsunami,
And the victims of any disaster,
Any violence, suffering or despair.
Grant them shelter and solace,
Comfort and consolation,
Blessing and renewal.
May a world of justice, righteousness and mercy
Come swiftly to their aid.
Grant them endurance to survive,
Strength to rebuild,
Faith to mourn,
Courage to heal,
And devotion to each other.

Heavenly Guide,
Hand of love and shelter,
Grant the people of Japan Your protection,
Your radiance,
And Your peace.

Prayer For First Responders
Crisis and chaos,
Confusion and loss,
A scene of sweeping destruction,
The first responders arrive
Among the breathless and dazed,
The frenzied, driven wild with fear and grief,
The incapacitated, the dead,
The weary, the lost, the injured,
And survivors forcing themselves
Beyond their limits
To fight devastation.

G-d whose ways are secret,
Bless these first responders with endurance
To be of maximum service in this moment of immeasurable need.
Bless their limbs with strength,
Their eyes with courage,
Their hands with gentleness,
So that they become a source of hope and love.
Give them the tools they need in the days and hours ahead.
Protect them from physical harm,
Shield them from emotional pain,
And guard them from taking this trauma into themselves.

G-d of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of Japan.
Let the world rally on their behalf.
May the deeds of the first responders
Find favor in Heaven
And bring healing on earth.

Postscript: I also revised these prayers when an earthquake hit New Zealand earlier this year. This particular revision adds a few words and lines to acknowledge the tsunami. Here’s a link to a new prayer for Japan encompassing the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis.

Please use these prayers. See “Share the Prayer!” in the right hand column.

Against Tyranny

Posted on: February 24th, 2011 by tobendlight

This is a prayer for the end of tyrannical rule. To listen while you read, click on the triangle in the bar below. The text follows.

Against Tyranny
G-d of the oppressed,
G-d of the subjugated and exploited,
The voice of freedom echoes across the land,
A hunger for liberation
And an end to the reign of tyrants.
Our brothers,
Beaten and abused,
Our sisters,
Dominated and forgotten,
Rise up to face the despot
Risking life and limb
In the name of the future,
With the dream of emancipation.

Source of mercy,
Rock of generations,
You have led people to deliverance in every age.
Bless those who struggle against cruelty and oppression.
Grant them courage and fortitude,
Safety and strength.
May their purpose remain righteous
And their vision focused on peace.

Bring an end to the rule of dictators in every land.
Release the hand of cruelty and evil.
Thwart the hand of brutality and slaughter.
Grant a swift end to violence,
So that renewal and rebuilding can begin
And hope renewed.

Bless a new government with wisdom and compassion
To give meaning to the uprising and suffering.
Let honorable nations lend skill and resources
To the leaders who emerge from this struggle.

Blessed are You, G-d of All,
Who summons us to free the captive,
Pursue justice
And oppose the reign of tyrants.

Postscript: Other prayers in this series include: “Against Human Trafficking” and “Against Poverty.”

Please consider making a contribution to support this site and my writing. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter.

For the People of New Zealand

Posted on: February 22nd, 2011 by tobendlight

In the days after an earthquake hit Haiti last January, I wrote two prayers: one for the people and one for first responders. Here they are, revised after an earthquake struck New Zealand this morning.

In Devastation (Prayer for the People of New Zealand)
G-d beyond my understanding,
The earth has turned violent,
Sweeping our brothers and sisters off their feet,
Crushing homes and lives,
Upending dreams,
Toppling the foundations of hope and sustenance.
A shallow breath beneath the rubble
And wailing in the streets.
The injured, the dead, the starving.
The new widow,
The new orphan,
The newly bereft turn to You
Divine Source of abundance and grace.

G-d of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of New Zealand,
And the victims of any disaster,
Any violence, suffering or despair.
Grant them shelter and solace,
Comfort and consolation,
Blessing and renewal.
May a world of justice, righteousness and mercy
Come swiftly to their aid.
Grant them endurance to survive,
Strength to rebuild,
Faith to mourn,
Courage to heal,
And devotion to each other.

Heavenly Guide,
Hand of love and shelter,
Grant the people of New Zealand Your protection,
Your radiance,
And Your peace.

Prayer For First Responders (to the New Zealand Earthquake)
Crisis and chaos,
Confusion and loss,
A scene of sweeping destruction,
The first responders arrive
Among the breathless and dazed,
The frenzied, driven wild with fear and grief,
The incapacitated, the dead,
The weary, the lost, the injured,
And survivors forcing themselves
Beyond their limits
To fight devastation.

G-d of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of New Zealand.
Let the world rally on their behalf.
May the deeds of the first responders
Find favor in Heaven
And bring healing on earth.

Please use these prayers. See “Share the Prayer!” in the right hand column.

For Egypt

Posted on: February 5th, 2011 by tobendlight

As Egypt faces monumental change, here’s a prayer for the nation, its people and the world. To listen as you read, click on the triangle in the bar below. The text follows.

For Egypt
G-d of All,
Protector and Redeemer,
Watch over the people of Egypt
As their nation faces struggle and strife
On the journey toward hope and promise.
Grant safety to its citizens and residents,
Visitors and guests,
During moments of unrest.
Grant wisdom and courage to its leaders,
Insight to its advisors,
And understanding to its friends.
Lead them on a path toward justice.
Direct them on the road to freedom.
Guide them on the way to prosperity.
Make them a shining light of peace.

Source and Shelter,
Grant safety and security to all nations,
So that truth and harmony resound
From the four corners of the earth.

Blessed are You, G-d of All,
Forging nations and peoples
In the crucible of change
Throughout history.
May this time of challenge for Egypt
Become a blessing for its inhabitants and for the world.

Postscript: I used this piece as the basis of of prayer “For Libya.” Here’s a prayer “For the Women of Congo and Sudan,” as well as prayers “For Peace in the Middle East” and “Israel.”

Please use these prayers. See “Share the Prayer!” in the right hand column.

After the Storm: A Moment of Gratitude

Posted on: February 2nd, 2011 by tobendlight

This prayer was written once the late January blizzard of 2011 moved east from Chicago. When tornadoes hit the South several months later, many folks found it again. Here’s a prayer called “After the Tornadoes” and another called “Before the Storm.”

To listen while you read, click on the triangle in the bar below:

After the Storm: A Moment of Gratitude
G-d of heaven and earth,
Source of All,
The storm passed,
The tempest moved on.

Thank you for the kinship of neighbors and friends
As we work together to clean up after the squall.
Thank you for providing safety
To my family and friends throughout the gale.
Thank you for the emergency and rescue workers
Who kept watch and risked their lives for our community.
Bless all who were injured with healing and recovery.
Provide food and clothing, warmth and comfort, to all in need.

Blessed are You, our Rock and our Shelter.

Postscript: Several more months have come and gone. Hurricane Irene is now headed up the east coast of the U.S. I’ve updated and revised this prayer as “After Hurricane Irene: Safety After Violent Weather.”

For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. You can also connect on Facebook and Twitter. If you like this prayer, please post a link to Facebook, your blog or mention it in a tweet. Please consider making a contribution to support this site and my writing.

Before the Storm

Posted on: February 1st, 2011 by tobendlight

Here’s a prayer to be said before a storm hits. I wrote this for the great Chicago blizzard of 2011 and posted it just as the storm kicked into high gear. Here’s a link to a prayer of gratitude to be said “After the Storm” passes.

Before the Storm
G-d of heaven and earth,
Source of All,
The storm approaches,
A tribute to the force of creation,
Your power and might.

What chaos will blow with the wind?
What destruction will strike?
Who will suffer? Who will stay secure?

G-d of mystery and awe,
Grant us safety as the tempest engulfs our homes and our lives.
Protect us. Shield us. Guard us.
Grant peace of mind to those in fear.
Grant food and clothing,
Warmth and shelter to those in need.
Bless emergency and rescue workers with the tools and skills they need
As they risk their lives for the sake of our families, communities and friends.
Grant healing to those who are sick or injured.
Bless us with common sense throughout the squall
And with kinship and cooperation when the storm passes.

G-d of awe and wonder,
Our Rock and our Refuge,
See us through the gale
And watch us through the night,
For comfort, security and wellbeing,
So that we may serve You in love.

Postscript: I’ve reposted this prayer, with audio, for the approach of Hurricane Irene, along with new optional language.

Photo credit: Nature’s Fury

For First Responders to the Earthquake in Haiti

Posted on: January 18th, 2011 by tobendlight

On Jan. 20 the URJ will host an update webinar on conditions in Haiti one year after a catastrophic earthquake. On Sunday former dictator Jean-Claude “Baby Doc” Duvalier returned without warning after a 25-year exile saying he wanted to help rebuild. In the days after the earthquake, I wrote two prayers: one for the people of Haiti and one for first responders, who often internalize the trauma of a disaster.

For First Responders (to the Earthquake in Haiti)
Crisis and chaos,
Confusion and loss,
A scene of sweeping destruction,
The first responders arrive
Among the breathless and dazed,
The frenzied, driven wild with fear and grief,
The incapacitated, the dead,
The weary, the lost, the injured,
And survivors forcing themselves
Beyond their limits
To fight devastation.

G-d of justice and mercy,
We pray for the people of Haiti.
Let the world rally on their behalf.
May the deeds of the first responders
Find favor in Heaven
And bring healing on earth.

Postscript: Click here for the prayer for the people of Haiti. The epicentre of the Jan. 12, 2010, earthquake was near the town of Léogâne, approximately 25 km (16 miles) west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital. The Haitian government estimated that 230,000 people had died, 300,000 were injured and 1,000,000 made homeless. (Source: Wikipedia.)

Please use these prayers. See “Share the Prayer!” in the right hand column.

Archive for the ‘Better World’ Category

A Liturgy for 9-11

Japan’s Disasters

For the People of Japan

Against Tyranny

For the People of New Zealand

For Egypt

After the Storm: A Moment of Gratitude

Before the Storm

For First Responders to the Earthquake in Haiti

“Alden has become one of Reform Judaism’s master poet-liturgists…" - Religion News Service, Dec. 23, 2020

“Mesmerizing, spiritual, provocative, and thoughtful, Alden was everything you would want in a guest scholar and teacher.” – Rabbi Denise L. Eger, Congregation Kol Ami, Los Angeles, and Past President, CCAR

**"Alden Solovy has become one of the most revered liturgists of the last decade…" - Jewish Post & Opinion, March 29, 2023**

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