Tag Archive for "loss" | To Bend Light

Posts Tagged ‘loss’

After a Deadly Anti-Semitic Attack

Posted on: May 27th, 2014 by Alden

This prayer is a response to Saturday’s anti-Semitic terror attack at the Jewish Museum in Brussels. Again, Israelis and Jews targeted and dead. This is an adaptation of a prayer “For the Jews of France,” which I also recently adapted “For the People of Kansas City.” Both were tailored to the situation, much like the two prayers I posted after the 2012 terrorist attack on Israelis in Bourgas, Bulgaria. It seems, at this point, that we need a general use prayer, one with a fill-in-the-blank line so it can be available immediately after an attack. See also: “At the Hand of Anti-Semitism: A Yizkor Prayer.”

After a Deadly Anti-Semitic Attack
Author of life,
Man has turned violent,
Cutting down innocents
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
______________________ (name of city and country)
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
______________________ (name of country)
Your protection,
Your wholeness and healing,
And Your peace.

Postscript: The prayer “For the Jews of France” 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.”

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Photo Source: WikiMedia Commons

For the People of Kansas City

Posted on: April 14th, 2014 by Alden

A prayer for the people of Kansas City and the Jewish community after yesterday’s deadly violence targeting the Overland Park JCC and Village Shalom assisted living home. Here are links to two prayers for individual victims: “At the Hand of Anti-Semitism: A Yizkor Prayer” and “At the Hand of Violence.”

For the People of Kansas City
Author of life,
Man has turned violent,
Cutting down young and old
In Kansas City,
Grandparents and grandchildren,
Our brothers and sisters,
Crushing lives,
Upending dreams,
Attacking love with hatred.

Source and Creator,
Grant a perfect rest under your tabernacle of peace
To the victims of murder in Kansas City
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 the Jewish people,
For the sake of all people,
And for the sake of Your Holy Name,
Let the community of all faiths rally
In Your Holy Name.
Grant the people of Kansas City Your protection,
Your wholeness and healing,
And Your peace.

Postscript: Ask others to pray for the people of Kansas City by posting a link to this prayer on Facebook, Twitter or your blog. “At the Hand of Anti-Semitism: A Yizkor Prayer” and “At the Hand of Violence” appear in my new book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing. This prayer is adapted from one I wrote “For the Jews of France” after the 2012 attack in Toulouse, which has been translated into French. That, in turn, was 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.”

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.

Photo Source: KSHB41 Action News

In Memoriam: Sandy Hook

Posted on: December 12th, 2013 by Alden

The seventh anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., is today, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2017. Here are two prayers to mark the day. The first, “For the Children of Newtown,” is prayer I wrote in response to the attack. The second, “At the Hand of Violence,” is a memorial prayer for individual victims of violence. The second prayer includes space to name a specific person who died in the massacre. Here’s a link to a prayer “For Bereaved Children.” May the memories of the righteous be a blessing.

For the Children of Newtown
Author of life,
Source and Creator,
Grant a perfect rest under Your tabernacle of peace
To the victims of the massacre
In Newtown, Connecticut,
Children whose lives were cut off by violence,
All who fell at the hand of anger,
A rampage beyond understanding.
The future was severed.
Hopes, joys and dreams
Lost to brutality.
May their souls be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.
May they rest in peace.

G-d of mercy,
Remember, too, the survivors of this attack,
Parents,
Sisters and brothers,
Witnesses of shock, horror and dismay.
Ease their suffering and release their trauma.
Grant them endurance to survive,
Strength to rebuild,
Faith to mourn,
And courage to heal,
So that they recover lives of joy and wonder.

Remember the families and friends
Of the dead and the bereaved
With comfort and consolation.
Grant them Your protection,
Your wholeness and healing.
May they find hope and grace.

Heavenly Guide,
Source of love,
Guard the children of Newtown.
Grant them Your shelter and solace,
Blessing and renewal.
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 day.

At the Hand of Violence: A Yizkor Prayer
Author of life Source and Creator,
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 cut off by violence,
An act of witless aggression.
We remember his / her / their wisdom, talents and skills,
Joy, laughter and tears.
Let these memories continue to bless us
Even as we pray for him / her / them to find peace
In the world to come.
Put an end to anger, hatred and fear
And lead us to a time when no one will suffer at the hand of another.
May his / her soul be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.

Postscript: “For the Children of Newtown” prayer is an adaptation of “After a Deadly Rampage,” a general prayer to be used in response to mass killings. Please also see “For Bereaved Children,” a prayer for the brothers and sisters of the young victims.

If you use these prayers, please click take a moment to post links to your Facebook page, your blog or mention them in a tweet. Thanks. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. Connect with To Bend Light on Facebook and on Twitter.

Photo Credit: The Candles Spot

After the Washington Navy Yard Shootings

Posted on: September 17th, 2013 by tobendlight

This is a prayer of mourning and consolation in memory of the victims of the Washington Navy Shipyard shootings and supporting their families. Unfortunately, there are now so many mass attacks that a general prayer seems necessary. So I wrote a prayer called “After a Deadly Rampage” with a blank line for the location of the attack, which I have filled in for this tragedy. May the memories of the righteous be a blessing.

After a Deadly Rampage/ Washington Navy Yard
Author of life
Source and Creator,
Grant a perfect rest under Your tabernacle of peace
To the victims of the massacre
At the Washington Navy Yard,
Whose lives were cut off by violence,
A rampage of witless aggression beyond understanding.
Their hopes were severed.
Their dreams were lost to brutality.
May their souls be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.
May they rest in peace.

G-d of justice and mercy,
Remember, too, the survivors of this attack,
Witnesses of shock, horror and dismay.
Ease their suffering and release their trauma
So that they recover lives of joy and wonder.
Grant them Your shelter and solace,
Blessing and renewal.
Grant them endurance to survive,
Strength to rebuild,
Faith to mourn,
And courage to heal.

Remember the families and friends
Of the dead and the wounded.
With comfort and consolation.
Grant them Your protection,
Your wholeness and healing.
May they find hope and renewal.

Heavenly Guide,
Source of love and shelter,
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 day.

Postscript: “After a Deadly Rampage” is based on a prayer I wrote “For the People of Norway.” The focus of this prayer is on the dead, the injured and their families, making no reference to legal, political or social issues related to the Second Amendment/gun control debate in the U.S. This is a simple memorial prayer that we all can use at these times of horror. Please see “At the Hand of Violence” for prayer in memory of an individual killed by violence.

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Photo Source: Google Maps

Remembering 9-11 Survivors

Posted on: September 10th, 2013 by tobendlight

To honor their journey, here’s my prayer “For 9-11 Survivors.” Looking for a photo to go with this prayer was painful. I can’t imagine what the anniversary is like for survivors, their families and friends. I selected this photo after finding it on a site called “The Prayer Circle Leader” illustrating this prayer, which will appear in my forthcoming book, Jewish Prayers of Hope and Healing. To listen, click on the triangle below. The text follows.

For 9-11 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 the attacks of 9-11. Release them from visions of death and destruction, 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, Adonai our G-d, Source of strength for survivors of violence and tragedy in every land and in every age. Blessed are You, Rock of Israel, Source of hope and comfort.

Postscript: It was first posted as part of “A Liturgy for 9-11” written for the HUC-JIR continuing education blog Tzeh U’limad to provide clergy with resources for the upcoming 10th anniversary of the attack. That post includes an overview the concerns I felt while developing the liturgy. Here are links to individual 9-11 prayers: “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.” This is an annotated list of prayers suitable for public and private memorials, including links to prayers specifically written about 9-11 and others that are fitting for a commemoration.

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: The Prayer Circle Leader

Resources for 9/11

Posted on: September 7th, 2013 by tobendlight

Individuals and clergy members continue to look for meaningful prayers and meditations to use to commemorate the attacks of September 11, 2001. Here’s an annotated list of prayers suitable for public and private memorials, including “A Liturgy for 9-11,” written for the 10th anniversary of the attacks on the U.S. Please email this page to anyone who may be in need of a memorial prayer or a prayer for healing.

Memorial Prayers

At the Hand of Terror: A 9-11 Yizkor Prayer – A memorial prayer to be said for specific victims
At the Hand of Terror II: A 9-11 Memorial Prayer – A general memorial prayer to be said for all victims
Memorial Prayer for 9-11 First Responders – To honor the fallen first responders
At the Hand of Violence: A Yizkor Prayer – A memorial all who died by violence

For Survivors

For 9-11 Survivors – For healing 9/11 survivors
For Terror Survivors – For healing terror survivors
For Bereaved Children – For healing children who’ve lost parents
For the Bereaved – For healing all who are bereaved

Prayers for a Better World

For First Responders – For the safety of all first responders
To the Terrorist – For the terrorist to find a new path
Against Tyranny – A prayer against oppressive regimes

The original four prayers in “A Liturgy for 9-11” were written to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the attack. See that post to read the story of how and why I wrote these prayers. The response to the original post was overwhelming. Here’s a link to an overview of some of the ways these prayers were used as part of 10th commemoration activities.

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Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons, the “Tribute in Light” memorial is composed of two banks of high wattage spotlights that point straight up from a lot next to Ground Zero. The photo was taken from Liberty State Park, N.J., on the five-year anniversary of 9/11.

Prayer for the People of London

Posted on: July 7th, 2013 by tobendlight

This is a new memorial prayer for the victims of the 7 July London bombings. It’s 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.” I also used these prayers as the basis of a piece called “For the Jews of France” which has been translated of into French as “Aux Juifs de France.”

For the People of London
Author of life,
Grant peace and consolation
To the victims of terror in London,
Where 52 innocents were murdered,
Where more than 700 were wounded,
And where the heart of a democratic nation was attacked,
In an act of calculated terror.

Source and Creator,
Grant a perfect rest under your tabernacle of peace
To the victims of the 7/7 bombings,
Men and women whose lives were cut off
In an act of witless aggression.
Remember the survivors of this horror.
May the years that have passed,
And the years to come,
Grant them shelter and solace,
Comfort and consolation,
Blessing and courage.
May their healing —
And the healing of this nation —
Continue with devotion and courage.

Heavenly Guide,
Hand of love and shelter,
Put an end to anger and hatred,
Bigotry and fear.
Let terrorists put down their weapons
To discover a new path.
May the victims of all violence
Find hope and renewal.
Lead us to a time when no one
Suffers or dies at the hand of another.

Postscript: I wasn’t writing prayers when the 7/7 or the 9/11 attacks took place. I wrote my first 9/11 prayers for the 10th memorial year after that attack. Perhaps, for the 10th memorial year of the 7/7 bombings, I will write full liturgy. Here’s my “Liturgy for 9-11,” including a prayer called “To the Terrorist.”

If you use this prayer, please click “like” on this page and subscribe. Please take a moment to post a link to your Facebook page, your blog or mention it in a tweet. Thanks. For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!”

Photo credit: WikiMedia Commons

Memorial Prayer for First Responders

Posted on: July 1st, 2013 by tobendlight

This is a memorial prayer for first responders, posted today for the fire fighters who lost their lives battling the Yarnell Hill fire. It’s group prayer for those who have lost their lives responding to specific emergencies. It’s modified from “Yizkor for First Responders,” a prayer for individual first responders that I first posted as part of “A Liturgy for 9-11.” I previously posted a specific version of this prayer for 9/11 first responders. For those of you with family and friends who serve in this capacity, here’s a prayer “For First Responders” as they head off into service to others.

Memorial Prayer for First Responders
G-d of the selfless,
G-d of the strong and the brave,
Grant a perfect rest among the souls of the righteous
To those who died in service to others during the
_________________________________________________ [ add name of event such as: the 9/11 attacks, the Mount Carmel fire, the Yarnell fire, etc.].
May their dedication to protecting life serve as a shining lamp of love
And the works of their hands bring us all merit in heaven.
Bless the souls of all who have died to save others,
Civilians and professionals,
The trained and the untrained,
In every age and in every land,
Men and women who answered the call of honor, duty and service.
May their memories be sanctified with joy and love.
May their souls 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” and a prayer “For First Responders” as they head off into service to others.

For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. Connect with To Bend Light on Facebook and on Twitter.

Photo Source: NOAA

For the People of the United States, From Israel

Posted on: April 19th, 2013 by tobendlight

As events unfold in Greater Boston, here’s a new prayer for the people of the United States, written from Israel. Although this prayer is aimed at the immediate wound of the Boston Marathon bombings, it carries a sensitivity toward other violence and tragedy. Here are two prayers which I previously posted in the wake of the bombings: “Bombing at the Boston Marathon” and “For Terror Survivors.”

For the People of the United States, From Israel
Ancient One,
Source and Creator,
Grant the people of the United States,
The citizens of Massachusetts,
And the greater community of Boston
Safety and shelter,
In these hours and days of fear and dread.
We, too, know the sound of gun fire,
The echo of explosions,
The terror and pain,
The loss and dismay,
The long wait for news
And long journey to heal.

As we remember the victims and survivors of this horror,
We also remember the suffering and despair that has
Wounded the nation:
School shootings,
Factory explosions,
Coal mine disasters,
Domestic terror,
Family violence and
International terror.

Renew this land, G-d of Old.
Protect the residents from physical harm.

Restore this people, G-d of Justice.
Shield them from emotional pain.

Heal this nation, G-d of Mercy.
Bind these wounds with your steadfast love.

Heavenly Guide,
Hand of consolation and shelter,
Grant the people of the United States Your protection
Your wholeness and peace.

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.”

Photo Credit: TV image from a Facebook post

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.

For usage guidelines and reprint permissions, see “Share the Prayer!” For notices of new prayers, please subscribe. Connect with To Bend Light on Facebook and on Twitter.

Photo Credit: BostInno

Posts Tagged ‘loss’

After a Deadly Anti-Semitic Attack

For the People of Kansas City

In Memoriam: Sandy Hook

After the Washington Navy Yard Shootings

Remembering 9-11 Survivors

Resources for 9/11

Memorial Prayers

For Survivors

Prayers for a Better World

Prayer for the People of London

Memorial Prayer for First Responders

For the People of the United States, From Israel

For Terror Survivors

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