Tag Archive for "synagogue"

Congregational Prayer at the High Holidays

Posted on: September 13th, 2015 by Alden

A new prayer for 5776. A leader of one of my synagogues in Israel asked me to write a community prayer. The request comes at a time when we face difficult challenges and losses. Here are two versions, short and long, posted for Kehillat Yedidya. Both adaptable for use by any congregation. Use the blank line to add the name of your synagogue. Word choices are separated with a slash (“/”).

Congregational Prayer at the High Holidays (Short Version)
G-d of Old,
Bless our holy congregation,
Kehillat Yedidya [use your synagogue’s name _______________ ],
During these days of awe and forgiveness.
We are Your servants,
Lovers of Torah,
Beautiful in our imperfection,
Doing Your will when joy surrounds us,
Doing Your will, even yet, when our hearts are broken.

G-d whose name is Mercy,
Our lives are in Your hands.
You number our days.
Grant our [synagogue/shul/kehilla/temple]
Steadfast compassion and enduring devotion.
Let us celebrate together with fullness of heart.
Let us mourn together under a tent of comfort and care.
Let us serve you from generation to generation,
A light of Your Holy Word.

Congregational Prayer at the High Holidays (Full Version)
G-d of Old,
Bless our holy congregation,
Kehillat Yedidya [use your synagogue’s name _______________ ],
During these days of awe,
These days of judgment,
These days of forgiveness.
We are Your servants,
Men, women and children,
Old and young,
Lovers of Torah,
The strong and the infirm,
Teachers and students,
Lovers of Your way,
Beautiful in our imperfection,
Doing Your will when joy surrounds us,
Doing Your will, even yet, when our hearts are broken.

G-d whose name is Mercy,
G-d whose name is Truth,
Our lives are in Your hands.
Our time is fleeting.
You number our days.
Grant our [synagogue/shul/kehilla/temple] steadfast compassion,
Enduring devotion,
Strength, wisdom and kindness.
Let us celebrate together with fullness of heart.
Let us mourn together under a tent of comfort and care.
Let us serve you from generation to generation,
A light of hope,
A light of love,
A light of Your Holy Word.

Postscript: Wishing all of my friends around the world — and all of the wonderful synagogues I attend in Israel and the U.S. — a joyous and healthy year. Here’s a link to an annotated list of all of my High Holiday prayers.

Tweetable! Click here to tweet this: “Bless our holy congregation during these days of awe…” A new High Holiday prayer by @ToBendLight https://tobendlight.com/?p=13529

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Photo Source: Alden Solovy

For Mother Emanuel / Church of the Multiplication: Racist Violence against Houses of Worship

Posted on: June 18th, 2015 by Alden

On Wednesday night, nine people were killed during a shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, an historic black church in Charleston, S.C. The oldest AME church in the south, it’s referred to as “Mother Emanuel.” Across continents Thursday morning, arsonists set fire to the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish on the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee). Most of the damage occurred roof; two people suffered smoke inhalation. Given the time zone differences, these acts of violence and cowardice — the preparations, the police responses — were quite possibly playing out at the same time. Here are two prayers in response.

For Mother Emanuel: A Memorial and Healing Prayer
Author of life
Source and Creator,
Grant a perfect rest under your tabernacle of peace
To those who lost their lives the attack on Mother Emanuel,
Whose lives were cut off by violence,
An act of witless aggression.
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 their souls be bound up in the bond of life,
A living blessing in our midst.

G-d of justice and mercy,
Remember the survivors of this attack,
And the victims of any disaster,
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,
Grant the people of Mother Emanuel Your protection,
Your wholeness and healing,
And Your peace.

Racist Violence against Houses of Worship
Oh people of conscience,
Cry out.
Cry out against arrogance.
Cry out against hatred and anger.
Cry out against violence and oppression.
For G-d requires us to stand
In the name of justice and freedom,
For G-d requires us to oppose terror,
To muster our power and energy
Against racist aggression
And to protect all houses of prayer.

Oh G-d,
We implore You,
Look down upon the suffering
Perpetrated against churches, mosques and synagogues,
Against houses of worship in so many lands,
By the hand of wickedness,
By the hand of malevolence,
By the hand of ignorance and sin.
Today we remember, with sadness, the attacks on
Mother Emanuel and the Church of the Multiplication
And the loss of precious life.

With Your gentle and loving hand,
G-d of Shelter,
Unite all of your children
Under Your canopy of hope and love.
Bring the light of salvation and healing
To the four corners of the earth.

Postscript: The prayer “For Mother Emanuel” is an adaptation of “Violence in Mumbai.” The prayer “Racist Violence against Houses of Worship” is an adaptation of “For the Yazidi People.”

Photo Source: Wikipedia

Posts Tagged ‘synagogue’

Congregational Prayer at the High Holidays

For Mother Emanuel / Church of the Multiplication: Racist Violence against Houses of Worship

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