Tag Archive for "fear" | To Bend Light

Posts Tagged ‘fear’

For Terror Survivors

Posted on: April 17th, 2013 by tobendlight

In the wake of the bombings at the Boston Marathon, I’ve taken a prayer published as part of “A Liturgy for 9-11”and generalized it for all terror victims. A new optional line is shown in [brackets] includes the opportunity to name one or more specific acts of terror. This prayer was originally written for the HUC-JIR continuing education blog Tzeh U’limad to provide clergy with resources for 10th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks. Click here to read the prayer “Bombing at the Boston Marathon” and one “For the People of the United States, From Israel.”

For Terror 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 acts of terror.
Remember now those who are suffering from trauma after the ___________ (add name of event, such as Boston Marathon bombings, 9-11 attacks, Sbarro restaurant suicide bombing, Sandy Hook massacre).
Release them from visions of death and destruction. Release them 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, G-d of healing, Source of strength for survivors of violence and tragedy in every land and in every age. Blessed are You, Source of hope and comfort.

Postscript: Click here to read the entire Liturgy for 9-11, including an overview of concerns that emerged in developing these prayers. It also includes suggestions for other prayers that fit with the themes of 9-11. Here are links to “To the Terrorist” and “Memorial Prayer for 9-11 First Responders.”

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Photo Credit: BostInno

Bombing at the Boston Marathon

Posted on: April 16th, 2013 by tobendlight

This is a prayer for healing in response to the bombing at the Boston Marathon, written today at the request of the Union for Reform Judaism. The prayer first appeared on ReformJudaism.org earlier today.

Bombing at the Boston Marathon
Author of life
Source and Creator,
Grant a perfect rest
Under your tabernacle of peace
To the victims of the bombings in Boston,
Whose lives were cut off by a calculated act of violence
Striking at a moment of celebration,
Striking at the joy in sport and competition,
Striking in the city of liberty and freedom.

G-d of justice and mercy,
Watch over the wounded and injured.
Restore them with Your healing power.
Grant them endurance to survive,
Strength to rebuild and
Courage to heal.
Remember the survivors of this attack,
The victims and bystanders,
Their families and friends,
The witnesses of shock, horror and dismay.
Ease their suffering and release their trauma.
Grant them shelter and solace,
Comfort and consolation,
Blessing and renewal.

Heavenly Guide,
Hand of love and shelter,
Put an end to anger and fear,
Hatred and brutality,
Cruelty and bloodshed,
And lead us to a time when no one will suffer at the hand of another.
Grant the people of the United States Your protection
And the people of Boston Your wholeness and peace.

Postscript: See also “At the Hand of Violence: A Yizkor Prayer,” “For Bereaved Children” and “For the Bereaved.”

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Photo Credit: Boston Marathon Bombing / FB

Aux Juifs de France: Toulouse, 19 Mars 2012

Posted on: March 18th, 2013 by tobendlight

In memory of the victims of the anti-Semitic violence in Toulouse one year ago, here’s a French translation of my prayer “For the Jews of France,” as well as a link to the prayer in English. The translation is by Genevieve Begue, a woman with an amazing amount of energy and joy for living whom I met during a winter 2012 ulpan at Ben Gurion University of the Negev. My deepest thanks to Genevieve for the translation and her continuing support of my writing. See also: “At the Hand of Anti-Semitism: A Yizkor Prayer.”

Aux Juifs de France
Auteur de la vie,
L’homme est devenu violent,
Fauchant enfants et maîtres
A Toulouse, en France,
Nos jeunes et nos leaders,
Nos frères et soeurs,
Anéantissant des vies,
Bouleversant des rêves,
Attaquant l’espoir avec la haine.

Source et Créateur,
Accorde un repos parfait sous ton tabernacle de paix
Aux victimes de Toulouse
Dont les vies furent interrompues par la violence,
Un acte d’aggression stupide
Et d’anti-Sémitisme calculé.
Rappelle-toi les survivants de cette atrocité,
Et les victimes de toute violence, souffrance ou désespoir.
Accorde-leur refuge et secours,
Confort et consolation,
Grâce et renouveau.
Accorde-leur l’endurance afin qu’ils survivent,
La force de reconstruire,
La foi dans le deuil,
Le courage de guérir,
Et la dévotion l’un à l’autre.

Guide divin,
Main d’amour et refuge,
Met fin à la haine et la colère,
A la peur et la bigoterie,
Et conduit-nous à ce temps,
Quand plus un ne souffre à la merci d’un autre.

Pour le bien de notre peuple,
Et pour celui de Ton Saint Nom,
Accorde aux Juifs de France Ta protection,
Ta guérison et ton intégrité,
Et accorde-leur Ta paix.

Postscript: Please ask others to pray for the Jews of France by posting a link to this prayer on your Facebook wall or blog. This prayer is an adaptation of prayers I wrote in response to violence in Norway and attacks in Mumbai, which were based on two of my other prayers, “At the Hand of Violence” and “In Devastation.” Find related prayers in my “Liturgy for 9-11.” Thanks again to Genevieve.

Photo credit: Soutien aux familles des victimes et à la communauté Juive de Toulouse on Facebook

Munich Massacre Memorial Prayer

Posted on: July 20th, 2012 by tobendlight

Here is a memorial prayer for the 40^th anniversary of the Munich massacre. The first stanza includes an allusion to the Eleh Ezkera, the liturgical poem that we will recite in just over a week on Tisha b’Av. The second and third stanzas are influenced strongly by this week’s attack on Israelis in Bourgas, Bulgaria. Also read this prayer “For Israel’s Olympic Athletes.”

Munich Massacre Memorial Prayer
Creator of all,
Source and shelter,
We remember as yesterday
The day of Olympic terror,
The day that our brothers,
Athletes and coaches,
Lost their lives to brutal violence
And our hearts are melting with sorrow.
We remember their joy and their dreams,
Their enthusiasm and their hope,
Their spirit and their valor,
Their love for each other
And their dedication to competition.
Grant them a perfect rest under Your tabernacle of peace.
Grant their families consolation and comfort
For Your Name’s sake
And for the sake of those who perished.

Ancient One,
Remember the virtues all who have
Died at the hand of hatred.
May their memory become our resolve
To protect our land and our people.
Watch over the defenders of Israel.
Bless them with safety and strength.
May their courage never falter.
Grant Your protection and shelter
To all who travel under the flag of Israel
In the name of cooperation, understanding and goodwill –
Athletes, musicians, performers, artists and scholars.
May their spirit be a shining light of integrity and honor.
Grant the whole house of Israel safety throughout the earth
Free from aggression and violence.

G-d of Old,
Shine a light of compassion into the world.
Put an end to malice, anger and fear.
Lead us to a time when no one will suffer at the hand of another,
A time when our people can travel without the threat of terror.
May the memories of those murdered
In the Munich massacre
Be sanctified with joy and love.
May their souls be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.

Postscript: See also “For Israel’s Olympic Athletes,” “At the Hand of Anti-Semitism,” a Yizkor prayer, and “To the Terrorist,” a prayer of personal resolve to defend ourselves and for healing the mind of the terrorist. Please also read “For the Jews of France,” a prayer for safety and healing. Thanks again to my friend Brenda Epstein who suggested that I write a prayer to mark this anniversary.

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Bulgaria: Funerals and Responses

Posted on: July 18th, 2012 by tobendlight

Funerals will soon begin here in Israel for the victims of yesterday’s terrorist attack on Israelis in Bourgas, Bulgaria. Meanwhile, our government has fixed blame on Iran and has pledged a response. Funerals and responses. Grief and courage. Mourning and self-defense.

Here are two prayers: one for funerals, one a response. The first is a Yizkor prayer for victims of anti-Semitism. It also memorializes victims in every generation and includes prayers for the defenders of Israel and for the righteous of all nations. I wrote it after a brutal anti-Semetic attack in Toulouse, France. The second is a prayer for the terrorist. This is tricky. What do we pray on behalf of those who hate, murder and destroy? “To the Terrorist” is from of “A Liturgy for 9-11.”

At the Hand of Anti-Semitism: A 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]
Whose life was [lives were] cut off by violence,
An act of witless aggression
And calculated anti-Semitism.
We remember his / her / their wisdom, talents and skills,
Joy, laughter and tears.
We remember the works of his / her / their hands
And the message of his / her / their heart[s].
Let these memories continue to bless us
Even as we pray for him / her / them to find peace
In the world to come.
Remember the virtues of those who’ve died
At the hand of malice
In every generation.
Bless the defenders of Israel
With safety and strength,
And the righteous of all nations who
Provide protection, shelter and comfort
To our people.
Put an end to anger, hatred and fear
And lead us to a time when no one will suffer at the hand of another,
Speedily, in our days.
May the memory [memories] of _____________________ be sanctified with joy and love.
May his / her / their soul[s] be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.

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.

Postscript: “To the Terrorist” is from a set of prayers called “A Liturgy for 9-11.” “At the Hand of Anti-Semitism” is an adaptation of two of my other Yizkor prayers: “At the Hand of Violence” and “At the Hand of Terror.” Please also read “For the Jews of France,” a prayer for safety and healing.

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Prayer for the Jews of France

Posted on: March 19th, 2012 by tobendlight

A prayer for the Jews of France after today’s violence in Toulouse. Here is a link to a translation of this prayer into French, called “Aux Juifs de France.” See also: “At the Hand of Anti-Semitism: A Yizkor Prayer.”

For the Jews of France
Author of life,
Man has turned violent,
Cutting down children and their teachers
In Toulouse, France,
Our young and our leaders,
Our brothers and sisters,
Crushing lives,
Upending dreams,
Attacking hope with hatred.

Source and Creator,
Grant a perfect rest under your tabernacle of peace
To the victims of murder in Toulouse
Whose lives were cut off by violence,
An act of witless aggression
And calculated anti-Semitism.
Remember the survivors of this horror,
And the victims of any violence, suffering or despair.
Grant them shelter and solace,
Comfort and consolation,
Blessing and renewal.
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,
Put an end to anger and hatred,
Bigotry and fear,
And lead us to a time when no one
Suffers at the hand of another.

For the sake of our people,
And for the sake of Your Holy Name,
Grant the Jews of France Your protection,
Your wholeness and healing,
And Your peace.

Postscript: This is an adaptation of prayers I wrote in response to violence in Norway and attacks in Mumbai, which were based on two of my other prayers, “At the Hand of Violence” and “In Devastation.” Find related prayers in my “Liturgy for 9-11.” Ask others to pray for the Jews of France by posting a link to this prayer on your Facebook wall or blog.

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. Please take a moment to explore my book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Photo credit: Soutien aux familles des victimes et à la communauté Juive de Toulouse on Facebook

To the Terrorist: We Stand Strong, We Pray for Peace

Posted on: March 12th, 2012 by tobendlight

Is it possible to pray for the terrorist? This is my attempt, written to commemorate 9-11 and reposted in 2012 as Israel faces a missile barrage from Gaza. This prayer is from “A Liturgy for 9-11.” To listen, click on the triangle in the bar below.

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?

Postscript: This prayer was first posted on April 28, 2011, as part of my Liturgy for 9-11, which was written for the HUC-JIR continuing education blog Tzeh U’limad. It was reposted separately with audio on August 2, 2011. Here’s a prayer called “Israel: A Meditation” and one “For Peace in the Middle East.”

Photo Source: WikiMedia Commons

Doubt, Fear, Anger, Shame

Posted on: October 4th, 2011 by tobendlight

Can doubt, fear, anger or shame be blessings? Here are links to four prayers about troublesome emotions. They speak to the need to reclaim the gifts hidden in these feelings: the challenge to grow and change, the opportunity to harness them for healing. As we move toward repentance, prayer and righteousness on Yom Kippur, may we find ways to redeem our feelings, our experiences and our lives as blessings. Here are links to four prayers about facing these emotions:

Here’s a prayer about the witnessing the pain of others, called: “Witnessing: A Meditation.”

Click here for a prayers for the Yamim Noraim, listed by topics. Here’s a focused list of prayers for Elul, one of prayers for Rosh Hashana, another for Yom Kippur prayers and one more for Sukkot. And here’s a link to yizkor and memorial prayers.

At the Hand of Terror: A 9-11 Yizkor Prayer

Posted on: September 3rd, 2011 by tobendlight

This is a 9-11 yizkor prayer to be said in memory of a specific individual. This prayer has also been adapted into a general memorial prayer for all of those who lost their lives in the 9-11 attacks. Both prayers are part of “A Liturgy for 9-11.” To listen along, click on the triangle in the bar below. The text follows. This will appear in my forthcoming book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

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.

Postscript: Here’s a link to “A Liturgy for 9-11,” which does not have audio. Here are links to individual 9-11 prayers with audio: “For 9-11 Survivors,” “To the Terrorist,” “At the Hand of Terror II: A 9-11 Memorial Prayer” and “Memorial Prayer for 9-11 First Responders.”

Photo Source: Boldly Go Solo photo of the 9/11 Living Memorial in Israel, a billowing American flag, partly surrounded on its circular plaza by the names of the more than 3,000 people who died in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The waving flag is meant to resemble an eternal flame. Israel is the only country outside the U.S. that memorializes the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. It is outside of Jerusalem.

For Work

Posted on: August 22nd, 2011 by tobendlight

Here’s a prayer for those seeking employment. Choices for the reader are shown in [brackets]. To listen along, click on the triangle in the bar below. The text follows.

For Work
G-d of the laborer and the professional,
Of the craftsman and the entrepreneur,
Of the clerk and the executive,
Bless us with skill and wisdom
So that we may find employment
And financial security.
Give us energy and fortitude,
Courage and hope,
As the economy [struggles to revive][slows][remains uncertain].
Help us to discover hidden talents
And new strengths that are valued by employers.

As I begin another [day][week][month][year]
Of unemployment,
Help me to remember all of Your gifts,
So that I can envision a prosperous future.
May I find work that provides meaning and sustenance.
May opportunities become plentiful for all.

Blessed are You,
G-d of bounty and grace.

Postscript: Here’s a prayer to be said “Upon Losing Employment” and one to be said “Upon Gaining Employment.” This is a prayer “Against Worker Exploitation.” Here’s a link to an annotated list of prayers for social justice.

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: Deccan Chronicle

Posts Tagged ‘fear’

For Terror Survivors

Bombing at the Boston Marathon

Aux Juifs de France: Toulouse, 19 Mars 2012

Munich Massacre Memorial Prayer

Bulgaria: Funerals and Responses

Prayer for the Jews of France

To the Terrorist: We Stand Strong, We Pray for Peace

Doubt, Fear, Anger, Shame

At the Hand of Terror: A 9-11 Yizkor Prayer

For Work

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