Master Sgt. Kamil Shnaan, left, and Master Sgt. Haiel Sitawe, right, the Druze police officers killed in the terror attack near the Temple Mount complex in Jerusalem on July 14, 2017. (Israel Police)

Today, on a beautiful Jerusalem morning — two Druze policemen, Haiel Sitawe, 30, and Kamil Shnaan, 22 — were slain during a terrorist attack near the Temple Mount. Their funerals are this afternoon. May their memories be a blessing and may their families find peace. Two more defenders of Israel, lost. This is an adaptation of a prayer “For Druze Soldiers in the IDF.”

For Israel’s Druze Soldiers and Police
Ancient One,
Shield of Israel,
Grant safety to Israel’s soldiers and police,
Wherever they serve,
In times of calm
And in times of turmoil.

Holy One,
Take note of the
Brave Arab soldiers and police,
Druzim who have cast their fate
With this nation and this people,
Men and women who serve
With loyalty and distinction.

Remember the injured and the fallen.
Remember those who were slain
In the line of duty,
In defense of this nation.

G-d of All,
Some of Israel’s defenders call You Adonai,
Some of Israel’s defenders call You Allah,
Some of Israel’s defenders call You Christ,
And some do not call upon Your Holy Name.
Protect them all.
Grant them lives of joy and health,
In service to this nation,
In service to this land,
In service to this country,
Where, one day,
We will live together,
Side-by-side,
In peace.

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

Postscript: This is an adaptation of a prayer “For Druze Soldiers in the IDF.” That prayer has a much different focus. Here are more prayers for the IDF, including: “For Soldiers of the IDF,” “When My Child Enlists in the IDF” and “Lone Soldier in the IDF.”

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: Photos released by Israel Police from Times of Israel

For the second time in two weeks, a Druze soldier was attacked while off duty for speaking Arabic. The Druze have had a distinguished military service on behalf of Israel. Fortunately, my friends who’ve lived in Israel longer than me say that there isn’t widespread racism against the Druze. Still, these incidents are profoundly disturbing, not just because the victims are defenders of Israel, but because of the underlying bigotry that led to the attack, which is no different from the root cause of this summer’s violence against Muhammad Abu Khdeir. May hatred be abolished and peace established within our borders.

For Druze Soldiers in the IDF
Ancient One,
Shield of Israel,
Grant safety to the soldiers of the IDF,
Wherever they serve,
In times of calm
And in times of turmoil.

Holy One,
Take note of the
Brave Arab soldiers in the IDF,
Druzim who have cast their fate
With this nation and this people,
Men and women who serve
With loyalty and distinction.
They face an additional threat:
Hatred and hostility from within.
Let no Jew raise a hand against them.
Let no Israeli perpetrate violence upon them,
For we have been strangers in many lands,
For we have known injustice
At the hands of others.

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

G-d of All,
Some of our soldiers call You Adonai,
Some of our soldiers call You Allah,
And some do not call upon Your Holy Name.
Protect them all.
Grant them lives of joy and health,
In service to this nation,
In service to this land,
In service to this country,
Where, one day,
We will live together,
Side-by-side,
In peace.

© 2015 Alden Solovy and tobendlight.com. All rights reserved.

Postscript: Thank you to my friend Rabbi Bob Carroll for his comments on earlier drafts of this prayer. Here are more prayers for the IDF, including: “For Soldiers of the IDF,” “When My Child Enlists in the IDF” and “Lone Soldier in the IDF.”

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.

Photo Source: Historama