Tag Archive for "hope" | To Bend Light

Posts Tagged ‘hope’

Children of Gaza, Children of Israel

Posted on: August 2nd, 2014 by Alden

This is a new prayer for peace, a prayer about love, a prayer that sees the beauty in all children. For more than two weeks, people have been asking for a prayer focused on the children here in Israel caught in this war. It took longer to conceive than I expected. I hope you find meaning in it. It has a similar intention as my prayer “For Peace in the Middle East.” It also fits nicely with two prayers I wrote on behalf of the CCAR Solidarity Mission to Israel.

Children of Gaza, Children of Israel
Dear Children,
What can we say to you in times of war?
What can we say when you run for shelter, not for joy,
When you hide, not to seek, but huddle in fear?
No, it is not a game when you
Cry tears of dread in the night.

O grief,
O war and terror,
You have stolen our children.
You have stolen our rest.
And now you wish to steal our hope
In tomorrow.

Children of Gaza and Israel,
We pray for you to find each other,
In laughter and friendship,
Before someone teaches you
Anger and hatred,
While you are still pure with
Curiosity and wonder.

Children of Israel and Gaza,
We pray for you to find comfort
In the cradle of your mothers’ arms,
In the bosom of quiet and peace,
Without rocket or mortar to break
The gentle stillness of the air,
The lovely silence of the night.

One G-d,
Maker of All,
Is this too much to ask?
Is this too much to dream?
That one day all children of the world
Will run with glee toward one another,
Will hold hands together in delight,
To skip and twirl and dance
To the rhythms of peace?

Postscript: This prayer is very much “in the moment,” being focused on Gaza and Israel. I also plan to write and post a more general prayer for all children of war. My prayer “For Peace in the Middle East” appears in a new compilation “The Hope: American Voices in Support of Israel.” Proceeds of the sale of that book go to the Lone Soldier Center. Thanks to my friend Michele Chabin for her comments on an earlier draft of this prayer. Here are two more prayers about our children: “They Were Boys: A Yizkor Prayer,” written in memory of Gil-ad Shaer, Iyal Yifrah and Naftali Fraenkel, z”l, and “Another Boy Lost: A Jewish Yizkor for an Arab Son” written in memory of Muhammad Abu Khdeir. For more prayers about Israel, please click here.

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Photo Source: Debbi Cooper Photography

The Soldiers on this Mountain

Posted on: July 29th, 2014 by Alden

This is a memorial meditation for soldiers buried at the Israeli national cemetery on Har Herzl. Although it’s written to be used at a funeral, alternative openings [shown in brackets] allow it to be used by those visiting the cemetery generally and by those visiting a particular grave. There are also gender and age-related options shown with a slash “/”. This meditation was inspired by the funeral of Sgt. Max Steinberg, z”l.

The Soldiers on this Mountain
To rest we lay another youth/man/woman,
[Here rests another youth/man/woman,]
[Here rests ____________ (full name),]
A soldier on a mountain,
In a sacred city,
In a sacred land,
Held holy in our blood for millennia.

The soldiers on this mountain
Know you.
They know your heart.
They know your love.
They know your spirit.
Courage and valor are your companions.
Strength and honor are your legacy.
You are home among the defenders of
Our Promised Land.

The soldiers on this mountain
Grieve with you,
Not for themselves,
And not for you.
They grieve for the next
And the next
And the next
Who will rise up
And be struck down
To defend the children of Israel.

The soldiers on this mountain
Know you,
They know your passion,
They know your blood.

Son/Daughter of Israel,
The soldiers on this mountain
Welcome you –
One more among the fallen,
Another brave soul –
Back to the land you love.

Postscript: Here are links to more prayers for Israel, a prayer “For the IDF during Operation Protective Edge” and a “Yizkor for a Lone Soldier,” which I wrote before attending Max’s funeral. Thanks to my friends Ros Roucher and Rolene Marks for comments on an earlier draft.

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: Alden Solovy

For the IDF, Operation Protective Edge

Posted on: July 20th, 2014 by Alden

Here’s a new prayer for safety of IDF soldiers during Operation Protective Edge. It’s based on a prayer called “For the IDF: Operation Pillar of Defense” that I wrote nearly two years ago for that conflict. Unlike the earlier version, this prayer specifically identifies Hamas and includes more specific prayers for the families of the dead and wounded. It also includes a prayer for peace. I’ve also moved three lines up to be the opening of the prayer.

For the IDF, Operation Protective Edge
We stand with the defenders of Israel.
We honor the guardians of Zion.
We hold dear the sentries of Am Kadosh.

Rock of Israel,
Our sons and daughters,
Brothers and sisters,
Family and friends,
Have been called to serve
In the name of peace and justice
In Operation Protective Edge
To defend and to protect our land
From violence and assault,
From kidnappers and terrorists,
From the rain of missiles from Gaza.

Rock of Jacob,
Watch over the soldiers of the IDF.
Be their power and their strength,
Be their shield and their rampart.
Be their armor.
Protect our troops
From the weapons and the deadly intentions of Hamas.
Grant our soldiers courage and skill.
Guide their commanders
To think clearly and act decisively.
Grant the injured a complete r’fuah sheliamah.
For those who perish,
Grant them their share in the world to come.
Bless their families with solace.
Ease their minds and console their hearts.

G-d of Old,
We know the price of safety,
We know the cost of security,
We know the dangers ahead.
This is not easy. It is not desired.
And yet, we cannot be held captive
To hatred and violence.
How much longer should we wait?

Source of Shelter,
Grant a swift and successful end to this operation.
May this struggle bring lasting peace.
Keep our soldiers safe,
And let our soldiers keep us safe.
Return them swiftly in life and in health
To the loving arms of our people.

Postscript: Here are links two related prayers “To the Terrorist” and “For Peace in the Middle East,” as well as a link to more prayers for Israel.

Photo Source: Alden Solovy

The Details of Beauty

Posted on: July 11th, 2014 by Alden

A gift for Shabbat. A reminder. A reminder for those in sorrow and grief, those who are tired, numb and especially to those who’ve run to bomb shelters all week. Shabbat Shalom.

The Details of Beauty
Remember
The details of beauty
With your eyes.
The autumn leaf,
A baby’s cry,
Small wonders to remind you
Of joy and wonder.

Remember
The details of love
With your breath.
The soft smile
And gentle hand,
Small wonders to remind you
Of awe and majesty.

Remember
The details of faith
With your pulse,
The quiet prayer,
The hymn of glory,
Small wonders to remind you
Of devotion and service.

G-d of Old,
The details of beauty
Surround us.
Love and faith are
Our inheritance.
Teach us to see clearly in each day
The small wonders
You set before us.
To take them in,
To feel their power
And to rejoice.

Postscript: Here are more prayers with a similar theme: “This Moment “Being Present,” “Leaving” and “Small Moments.” If you haven’t yet, please take a look at my book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing, and consider ordering a copy, where some of these prayers appear.

Photo Source: Alden Solovy

Let Me

Posted on: June 12th, 2014 by Alden

This is another meditation on living a life of joy and wonder, but with a twist. The core prayer is that our interactions serve to encourage and inspire one another to become our best selves. The twist: this meditation is remarkably intimate, a gentle dialogue between friends about majesty of a life together in service to G-d. As such, it may actually be a lover’s prayer, a marriage proposal or a wedding blessing.

Let Me
Let me be the one
Who reminds you
That wisdom and beauty
Shine through your eyes.

Let me be the one
Who reminds you
That power and courage
Are in your hands and in your heart.

Let me be the one
Who reminds you
That today is your day
To choose righteousness and love.

You are a gift of light.
You are a well of strength.
You are a message of hope

Let me be the one
Who reminds you
To sing, to pray,
To dance, to bless,
To feed the hungry,
To clothe the naked,
To free the captive,
To redeem the oppressed.
And you will remind me
To be the man/woman our G-d intended.
Then, together, we will be messengers
Of Torah and truth,
Bringing holiness into the world.

Blessed are You, G-d of All,
You call in us to use our gifts
To heal the world.

Postscript: Here are more prayers about love: “Let Love,” “The Cut That Heals,” “For New Love,” “To Seek Your Love,” “A Heart of Love” and “A Moment of Love.” Several of these prayers appear in my book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Photo Source: Lovely Healthy Life

Lone Soldier in the IDF

Posted on: May 5th, 2014 by Alden

For Yom Ha’atzmut, a prayer for the young men and women in the IDF who have come alone to Israel, without their families, to live the dream of building lives here and serving our people in the military. The term is chiyal boded – Lone Soldier – and Israel embraces them with love and care. This is an adaptation of a piece I wrote for Lone Soldiers during Operation Pillar of Defense. While these young men and women are the inspiration for this prayer, the idea came from a soldier’s mother.

Lone Soldier in the IDF
Guardian of Israel,
Young men and women
Have left their homes and families
Throughout the world
To find their place in the Land,
To build lives of hope,
And to serve Your People in the IDF.

Bless them,
And bless all soldiers
Of the Israel Defense Forces,
With strength and skill,
Compassion and determination,
The hallmarks of our military.
Let comradeship bolster their courage.
Let them keep faith with their vision
Of a strong and vital Jewish state.
Look with compassion on their families
And the families of all our military.
Ease their minds.
Console their hearts.
Grant their deepest prayers
For the well-being of their children.

Source of Peace,
Shield our soldiers from the traumas of war.
Keep them safe,
So that they may keep us safe.
Return them swiftly in life and in health
To the loving arms of our people.

Postscript: A few lines of this prayer were taken from “For the IDF: Operation Pillar of Defense.” Here are links to two more related prayers, “To the Terrorist” and “For Peace in the Middle East,” as well as a link to more prayers for Israel.

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.

For the People of Chile

Posted on: April 2nd, 2014 by Alden

This is a prayer for the people of Chile as the effects of the 8.8 earthquake and tsunami there Saturday night continues to unfold. It’s an adaption of two prayers that I originally wrote in 2010 for the people of Haiti and have subsequently revised for other places hit by major storms and disasters, including Japan, New Zealand and the Philippines. Just last week I adapted this prayer after the massive mudslide in Snohomish County, Washington.

In Devastation (Prayer for the People of Chile)
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 Chile,
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 Chile Your protection,
Your radiance,
And Your peace.

Postscript: Here’s a general prayer “For First Responders,” as well as prayer for those who have died in service to others as first responders, called “Yizkor for First Responders,” which appears in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Photo Source: Map from Stuff.co.nz

When My Child Enlists in the IDF

Posted on: March 27th, 2014 by Alden

Several friends have recently asked for a prayer for their kids enlisting in the IDF. This Times of Israel essay by Laura Ben-David captures both the pride and the concern of parents.

One issue writing this prayer: balancing the emotions of parents for their individual children with the national responsibility and love we feel for all of our soldiers, especially the newly-enlisted. These young men and women are neighbors and family friends.

This prayer is an adaption of one I wrote during Operation Pillar of Defense, with a few lines taken from a prayer titled “For First Responders.” I’ve also used that piece to write a general prayer “For the IDF,” posted here in Hebrew and in English. Choices for customizing this prayer are shown with a slash (“/”).

When My Child Enlists in the IDF
Rock of Israel,
My/Our son/daughter,
Has been called to serve in the IDF,
To defend and to protect our land
From violence and assault,
From kidnappers and terrorists,
From missile and mortar,
From those who would destroy our nation and our people.
Let his/her service be in the name of peace and justice,
In the name of sovereignty and survival.

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

G-d of Old,
We know the price of safety,
We know the cost of security.
Protect our soldiers from physical harm,
Shield them from emotional pain,
And guard them from taking the traumas of war into themselves.
Watch over my son/daughter _____________________ [insert name]
Throughout his/her service.
Bless the injured and wounded
In every generation
With Your healing hand.
Bless the heroes of our past
And the heroes of the future
With Your steadfast love.

Source of Peace,
Keep my/our son/daughter safe,
Keep all of our soldiers safe,
And let the IDF keep us safe,
So that all return in life and in health
To the cradle of my/our home,
The warmth of my/our embrace,
And to the loving arms of our people.

Postscript: Here’s a link to more prayers for Israel. One of my favorites is “Israel: A Meditation.”

Photo Credit: Alden Solovy

The Dark Corners

Posted on: February 15th, 2014 by Alden

Fear, sorrow and doubt cannot defeat the light of holiness, unless you let them. This prayer acknowledges difficult moments and emotions, offering the classic Jewish response to facing them with strength and dignity: Torah, tefilah (prayer) and mitzvot (acts of righteousness).

This piece is part of “Three Prayers,” in which three of my prayers are set to original choreography by Lin Batsheva Kahn of the Tikvah Company of Artists and original cello music by Desiree Miller of the Chicago Civic Orchestra. “Three Prayers” premieres in Jerusalem in June 2014 as part of an evening of dance and poetry by Miriam Engel’s Angela Dance Company. To listen to the music performed by Desiree, click on the triangle in the bar below. The text follows.

The Dark Corners
Fear lurks
In the dark corners of my heart,
Waiting to convince me
That love will fail.

Sorrow lurks
In the dark corners of my soul,
Waiting to convince me
That faith will fail.

Doubt lurks
In the dark corners of my mind,
Waiting to convince me
That wisdom will fail.

Rock of Jacob,
Teach me to shine
The light of mitzvot
Into the dark corners of my mind,
So that I face my fears with courage
Redeeming them with awe and wonder.

Song of Miriam,
Teach me to shine
The light of tefilot
Into the dark corners of my soul,
So that I face my sorrows with strength
Redeeming them with righteousness.

G-d of Old,
Teach me to shine
The light of Torah
Into the dark corners of my mind,
So that I face my doubts with honor
Redeeming them with holiness.

Postscript: This prayer will appear in my forthcoming book, Prayers from the Heart of Darkness.Consider using this as a slichot meditation during the month of Elul. Here are links to prayers about specific challenging emotions, including “Doubt,” “Fear,” “Anger” and “Shame.”

Photo Source: WikiMedia Commons

Complications after My Surgery

Posted on: January 30th, 2014 by Alden

I wrote this yesterday after receiving news that a friend is now dealing with a post-surgical infection. There are seven prayers about surgery in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing, including: “For Surgery” and “Upon Recovery from Surgery.” This prayer will appear in a future book, most likely Prayers for Healing the World.

Complications after My Surgery
G-d of Old,
My [surgery/recovery] has not proceeded as planned.
As I endure unanticipated complications, treatments and setbacks,
I face a new [and difficult] set of decisions
On my journey toward wholeness and healing.
The path [which once seemed so clear,]
Is suddenly more dangerous,
And my fears have returned.

Bless my doctors with wisdom and skill,
With compassion, focus and dedication,
As we work to overcome this challenge [these challenges].
Bless my family with ease and comfort.
Give us energy and endurance, tranquility and peace.
Remind them to care for themselves and each other,
Even as their hearts and prayers turn to me.

Source of life,
Bless my body with strength,
My spirit with courage,
My thoughts with hope,
And let me return to a full life with renewed purpose.
Grant me a full and speedy recovery.

Blessed are You, G-d of mystery,
Source of health and healing.

Postscript: My other healing prayers include: “For a Critically-Ill Child,” “For a Critically-Ill Mother,” “For a Critically Ill Father,” “For Cancer Treatment,” “Cancer Remission” and two Hospice Prayers. Most of these prayers appear in new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing.

Photo Source: WikiMedia Commons

Posts Tagged ‘hope’

Children of Gaza, Children of Israel

The Soldiers on this Mountain

For the IDF, Operation Protective Edge

The Details of Beauty

Let Me

Lone Soldier in the IDF

For the People of Chile

When My Child Enlists in the IDF

The Dark Corners

Complications after My Surgery

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