Posts Tagged ‘CCAR’

 

For Rabbi Peter Knobel, z”l

Posted on: August 21st, 2019 by Alden

Rabbi Peter Knobel z”l has died after suffering a massive heart attack almost two weeks ago. A gadol b’dor, a giant of this generation, a tzaddik, his Hebrew name was Tzaddik. He brought the love of Jewish learning — the place where Torah and intellect meet — to thousands. He chaired the Central Conference of American Rabbis and was our first family rabbi at Beth Emet The Free Synagogue. He led the drive to create a new Reform Siddur, Mishkan T’fillah, and was the first rabbi to encourage me to explore my voice as a Jewish writer. This prayer, dedicated here to Peter, was first published as “Private Meditation on the Death of a Beloved Public Figure.” Even as public eulogies begin, many of us will need private meditations for grieving.

For Rabbi Peter Knobel, z”l
Source of blessings,
Deal kindly with the soul of Rabbi Peter Knobel,
Who left a legacy of Torah and righteousness in this world,
A legacy of love, care and inspiration,
A legacy for the generations.

Rock of comfort,
So many were touched by him,
As was I,
And grief casts a shadow over my heart.
Even as his legacy is celebrated publicly,
With honors and praises due,
Hear my personal prayer,
My private grief and loss.
Let his memory become a light
For the days and years ahead.
And let those memories, private and public,
Grow stronger with the passing time,
Becoming a well of consolation.

G-d of all being,
Grant a perfect rest under Your canopy of peace to Rabbi Knobel,
My rabbi,
Our rabbi.
May his soul be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.

© 2018 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

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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 Source: Spertus Institute for Jewish Learning and Leadership

This Joyous Soul

Posted on: July 15th, 2018 by Alden

Here’s the title piece from my forthcoming book from CCAR Press, This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings. The book is a companion volume to This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day. This Grateful Heart provides prayers and meditations to address the days and seasons of our lives. This Joyous Soul offers a bridge between the language of traditional prayer and the language of personal experience.

This Joyous Soul
God’s love lingers
Where the rainbows hide,
Waiting to burst forth
In radiant glory.

How this joyous soul yearns for You!
Your blessings and Your grace,
Your wisdom and Your compassion,
This joyous voice sings Your praises.

God’s love lingers
At the gates of your heart,
Waiting to burst forth
In luminous splendor.

© 2019 CCAR Press from This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings

Postscript: This Joyous Soul: A New Voice for Ancient Yearnings is available for pre-order. This Grateful Heart: Psalms and Prayers for a New Day is available for purchase.

New here? Subscribe here to get my newest prayers by email.
Share the prayer! Email this to a friend.

Please check out my ELItalk video, “Falling in Love with Prayer.” 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 Source: Central Conference of American Rabbis

For the URJ Biennial 2017

Posted on: December 5th, 2017 by Alden

I’m leaving Israel for the URJ Biennial 2017. Here at Ben Gurion Airport, I finished this prayer for all of us throughout the world converging on Boston to celebrate our amazing liberal Jewish lives, the wisdom that comes from this Movement and the people who are dedicated to a vibrant, responsive, inclusive Judaism for all.

For the URJ Biennial 2017
May the One who blessed our mothers and our fathers,
Our parents and our ancestors,
Bless the organizers and participants
In the URJ Biennial 2017
To come together
In holy convocation,
As a joyous congregation,
In rockin’ jubilation,
And holy celebration,
To strengthen our foundation,
And renew our dedication,
To God, to Torah and to liberal Jewish life,
So that the roots of Reform remain strong and vital,
Creating wisdom that echoes throughout world.

Source of understanding,
Rock of our lives,
Let the love of our people and our heritage
Flow from Boston
Throughout the United States
And into the four corners of the earth,
Wherever Jews seek insight and understanding,
Wherever acts of charity and deeds of tikun olam
Are performed in Your name,
Wherever justice is pursued.
For ourselves,
For our families,
For our congregations,
For our children,
And for the future of the Jewish people.

© 2017 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

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 Source: URJ

“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

“Alden left everyone feeling inspired.” – Cantor Jeri Robins, Shabbat Chair, NewCAJE6