Removing Life Support
A difficult prayer for a difficult moment. In classic Jewish tradition, this prayer includes a request for forgiveness from the one who is near death by…
Read articleFor Those Who Endure Chronic Conditions
This piece began with Georgia and Gary Freedman-Harvey who envisioned a community prayer for those — like their son Ezra — who live the trials and…
Read articleFamily Caregivers
This is a prayer to be said on behalf of those family members and friends who have taken on the task of daily caregiving of another…
Read articleFor an Alcoholic or Addict
A prayer to be said those suffering from alcoholism, addiction, or both. Optional language is in [brackets], with choices separated by a slash (“/”). This prayer…
Read articleA Jewish Cleric’s Meditation for Self-Care
In what now seems like a premonition, Fall 2019 edition of The Reform Jewish Quarterly was dedicated to spiritual and mental wellness, including self-care in times…
Read articleMinisters of Earthly Blessings
Angels are first mentioned in the Talmud in Masechet Brachot 4b. Quoting a Tosefta, we learn the number of flights an angel needs to get from…
Read articleHealing from Coronavirus: Hebrew and English
Here’s a Hebrew version of my prayer “Healing from Coronavirus,” with a revised English version so that the two match. Alex Griffel, a student at the…
Read articleOn the Front Lines of the Pandemic
A prayer for those on the front lines of the pandemic. It begins with the medical professionals putting themselves in harm’s way. The second stanza broadens…
Read articlePervasive Peace
In these difficult times, this one line captures my simplest yet deepest prayer for us all. With so much healing needed, our prayers must rattle the…
Read articleTraveler’s Prayer in a Time of Pandemic
This is a new prayer for safe travel, incorporating the perils of modern life with classic language of t’filat haderech, the traveler’s prayer. It’s my third…
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