Shared by Aharon Varady on כ״ד באב ה׳תשע״א (August 24, 2011) 
Stunden Der Andacht, Fanny Neuda (nèe Schmeidl)’s popular collection of prayers written in German and published in Prague in 1855 was already in its fifth printing a decade later when Rabbi Moritz Mayer published his English translation, Hours of Devotion (1866) in New York. Neuda’s collection of Jewish prayers is unique by virtue of its being possibly the first to authored by a Jewish woman. Earlier collections of tkhinos — petitionary prayers, comprising a growing literature of devotional works for prayer outside of the shul were authored by Jewish men. . . . → Read More: An Abridged English Translation of Fanny Neuda’s Stunden Der Andacht by R’ Moritz Mayer (1866)
Shared by Gilah Langner on י״ז באב ה׳תשע״א (August 17, 2011) Traditional Judaism offers a confessional prayer, or vidui, to be recited during a time of serious illness or near death. If the patient is unable to recite the prayer, others may do so on his or her behalf. This modern adaptation [of vidui] places less emphasis on atonement for sins, and more on the bonds connecting the patient to his or her loved ones. It can be recited by a friend, family member, or chaplain on behalf of a person who is very ill, especially when life and death are hanging in the balance. . . . → Read More: Prayer in a Time of Serious Illness by Rabbi Gilah Langner
Shared by Effron Esseiva on י״א בסיון ה׳תשע״א (June 13, 2011) 
We are grateful to Effron Esseiva of the Shirat Hayam on Bowen Island havurah and Or Shalom Synagogue in Vancouver for sharing his recording and abbreviated translation (below) of El Malei Raḥamim (lit. “God, full of Compassion”), the prayer for the departed traditionally read at the unveiling of the headstone. Effron is studying davvening leadership . . . → Read More: El Maleh Raḥamim (Prayer for the Departed) translated and sung by Effron Esseiva
Shared by Joshua Boettiger on ז׳ בניסן ה׳תשע״א (April 11, 2011) 
We are grateful to Rabbi Joshua Boettinger and Rabbis for Human Rights–North America (RHR-NA) for sharing the following petitionary prayer, A Misheberakh for Victims of Slavery. Originally published by RHR-NA on their website in 2009, the prayer attends to the desperate need to eradicate all forms of slavery that persist today, especially in advance of the holiday celebrating our Z’man Cheruteinu, the season of our freedom, every Spring, every Pesaḥ. . . . → Read More: A Misheberakh for Victims of Slavery by Rabbi Joshua Boettiger
Shared by David Zvi Kalman on י״ד באדר ב׳ ה׳תשע״א (March 20, 2011) David Zvi Kalman composed the following prayer for when he’s not praying with a minyan: God and God of my forefathers and foremothers, as I stand here in an innermost room and pray, so too should you in an innermost room heed my questions, my praises and my requests, both from the utterances of my mouth and the utterances of my heart. Even if I am silent, you will know that my tefilla is directed towards you, who is One and whose name is One, alone in all the worlds. My heart is awake and my voice knocks. Open for me, my Lord, my Perfect One, the gates of Tefilla. . . . → Read More: Tefillat yaḥid: a prayer for when praying by oneself
Shared by Shai Held on ה׳ באדר ב׳ ה׳תשע״א (March 11, 2011) 
Ruler of Creation, Master of the world: Have mercy on all those who are suffering from the raging waters and the storming waves. Have compassion on Your creatures – Look, O Lord, and see their distress; Listen, God, and hear their cries. Strengthen the hands of those who would bring relief, comfort the mourners, Heal, please, the wounded. Grant us wisdom and discernment to know our obligations, and open our hearts so that we may extend our hands to the devastated. Bless us so that we may walk in Your ways, “compassionate ones, children of compassionate ones.” Grant us the will and the wisdom to prevent further disaster and death; Prevent plague from descending upon Your earth, and fulfill Your words, “Never again shall there be another flood to destroy the earth.” Amen. So may it be your will. . . . → Read More: Prayer in the Wake of the Tsunami
Shared by Azriel on ד׳ באדר ב׳ ה׳תשע״א (March 10, 2011) Azriel, a retail worker with a wife and daughter, kindly shared the following tekhina (petitionary prayer) with the following note:
Based on a traditional form, this is just a personal petition I drew up to remind myself of a few important things. Anyone is free to use it, alter it for their own circumstances, change . . . → Read More: Tekhina of a Retail Worker
Shared by Rabbis for Human Rights N. America on ט״ו בשבט ה׳תשע״א (January 20, 2011) 
In the wake of the continued uprooting of fruit trees and human settlements in the Land of Israel, Rabbis for Human Rights-North America shared the following petitionary prayer. . . . → Read More: A Tu Bish’vat Prayer from Rabbis for Human Rights
Shared by Arik Ascherman on י״ח בטבת ה׳תשע״א (December 25, 2010) 
Image: The unrecognized village El-Arakib demolished, Aug 2010, Israel by Physicians for Human Rights (Licensed CC-BY 2.0)
Rabbi Arik Ascherman of Rabbis for Human Rights, shares a prayer he wrote following the Israel Land Administration’s most recent eviction and demolition of El-Arakib, a Bedouin village in the Negev. The prayer was written with the . . . → Read More: A Prayer for the Residents of El-Arakib by Rabbi Arik Ascherman
Shared by Aurora Mendelsohn on ז׳ בתשרי ה׳תשע״א (September 15, 2010) Aurora Mendelsohn shares her adaptation of Hamapil, the blessing recited just before sleep with the recitation of the Sh’ma.
This is a prayer for parents to say for safe sleep for their newborn children. It is based almost entirely on the longer form of the traditional prayers before sleep. Because of gender there are . . . → Read More: הַמַּפִּיל | A Parent’s Prayer for the Safe Sleep of their Newborn Child by Aurora Mendelsohn
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