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כִּי־לְךָ תֻּקְרָא כׇּל־בְּרָכָה | Ki Lᵊkha Tuqra Kol Bᵊrakhah, a macaronic poem for Yom Meturgeman by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer Contributor(s):This is a macaronic poem for Yom Meturgeman. Macaronic poetry is poetry in multiple languages at once. In this case, the languages reflected are Hebrew, Aramaic, Judeo-Arabic, Yiddish, Ladino, and English, with a repeated Hebrew refrain. Each language is meant to rhyme with the colloquial Hebrew as it would be read — i.e. though the Yiddish doesn’t rhyme with the modern Hebrew pronunciation, it rhymes with the traditional Ashkenazi one. . . . Contributor(s):The Opening Prayer given in the U.S. Senate on 12 December 2023 . . . Kavvanah and prayer for Zōt Ḥanukkah, the last night and day of Ḥanukkah 5784, by Rabbi David Seidenberg (neohasid.org) Contributor(s):Four things to pray and learn for the last night and day of Ḥanukkah. . . . Contributor(s):In the midst of terrible violence and war in Israel and Gaza, these words came in response to the questions: how to engage meaningfully with Ḥanukkah in 5784 with integrity. How can it still be a source of wisdom and liberation? . . . תוספת בית למעוז צור לְמִלְחֶמֶת ”חַרְבוֹת בַּרְזֶל“ | Supplemental stanza to Maoz Tsur for the Ḥarvot Barzel War by Dana Pearl Contributor(s):A supplemental stanza to the popular 13th century piyyut, Maoz Tsur, for the Ḥanukkah occurring in the aftermath of the horrors on 7 October, as written and shared by דנה פרל. . . . איידי! סיליבראמוס | Айде! Селебрамос | Ayde! Selebramos — a Ladino adaptation of Mordkhe Rivesman’s “Oy Khanike” by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer Contributor(s):An original Ladino adaptation of the song “Oy Khanike” (derived from the Yiddish poem of the same name by Mordkhe Rivesman) also known in English as “Oh Chanukah” or in Hebrew as “Y’mei ha-Ḥanukka.” I’m aware that the custom of spinning tops was not originally a Sefaradi one. So sue me, I was looking for something to rhyme with “libertaḏ.” I’ve included the Rashi script, the Aki Yerushalaim orthography, and (as an added bonus) the Cyrillic transcription used by the Jews of the Balkans. . . . Yā Ḥanukka[t] | יָא חַנוּכָּה | يَا حَنُكَّة — a Judeo-Arabic adaptation of Mordkhe Rivesman’s “Oy Khanike” by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer Contributor(s):An original Judeo-Arabic adaptation of the song “Oy Khanike” (derived from the Yiddish poem of the same name by Mordkhe Rivesman) also known in English as “Oh Ḥanukkah” or in Hebrew as “Y’mei ha-Ḥanukka.” With thanks to Mazen Haddad for his help with the Arabic! Some notes: 1) Case endings and nunation, which would (in colloquial dialects) often be skipped or dropped, are transcribed in brackets. 2) The word “sufnāj” is a Moroccan Arabic dialectal word which is the agent noun for sfenj, a traditional type of North African doughnut. . . . Contributor(s):A supplemental stanza to the popular 13th century piyyut, Maoz Tsur, for the Ḥanukkah occurring in the aftermath of the horrors on 7 October. . . . Contributor(s):This prayer was written on Friday, November 24th 2023, 11th of Kislev 5784, early afternoon (Israel Time), when we were all waiting to witness the first group of hostages come back home from captivity in the hands of Hamas. Having close friends who have relatives kidnapped who do not fit into the criteria of being released now, I was looking for words to pray at this moment. Referring to the words of Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai z”l, and his “remarks” on Kohelet’s “For everything there is a season”, I tried to describe how all feelings are mixed in these awful hours, and in the days since. I am thankful to Rabbi Ayelet Cohen for her translation of this prayer into English. –Rabbi Oded Mazor . . . Contributor(s):“Upon My Heart” was offered by Rabbi Menachem Creditor and shared via the Open Siddur Project discussion group on 20 November 2023. The added hashtag “#bringthemhomenow” helps to contextualize the prayer-poem, as written to express the yearning for the return of the captives taken hostage during the 7 October massacres by HAMA”S and its allies. . . . תפילה לחיילי צהל ולשבויים חרבות ברזל | Prayers for the welfare of the IDF soldiers and the captives of the Ḥarvot Barzel War, by Ze’ev Kainan (16 October 2023) Contributor(s):This prayer for the welfare of IDF soldiers and the captives of HAMA”S in Gaza was written by Ze’ev Kainan on 16 October 2023 in the days following the terrible events of 7 October 2023. . . . “An important message, November 2023,” a prayer-poem in the form of a shipping notice by Kohenet Ilana Joy Streit Contributor(s):“An important message, November 2023” is a shipping notice from God and a meditation on parochial empathy. . . . Qedushta Additions for the Public Repetition of the Amidah on Sigd, adapted from the original liturgical texts by Isaac Gantwerk Mayer Contributor(s):This is a Hebrew adaptation of the poems traditionally recited by the Beta Israel community for the festival of Sigd, altered and adapted to fit the traditional qedushta form of poetic Amidah additions. The texts of the first few prayers were rewritten substantially and combined with relevant verses so as to fit in the strict form of the magen, mehaye, meshalesh, and El Na. After this, the qiqlar is slightly edited to fit a couplet rhyme scheme, while the silluq (the freest of the genres of qedusha piyyut) is almost entirely preserved — the only change being several verses whose placement is postponed so as to better lead into the qedusha as a silluq should. Regarding translations, the silluq largely uses my original translation with slight alterations (replacing the clunky use of ‘God’ as a pronoun with a gender-neutral THEIR, translating the Agaw passages into Latin rather than English to preserve general comprehensibility while clarifying that this is a different language), while the rest of the poems are different enough for their translation to largely be from scratch. These would be recited with the Ark open for all the piyyutim, as one would on the Yamim Noraim, ideally using melodies from the Sigd liturgy. . . . Contributor(s):“An infinity of amens” was written by Hanna Yerushalmi on 15 October 2023 in the aftermath of the massacres on Shemini Atseret 5784. . . . Contributor(s):Rabbi Dr. Reuven Kimelman notes his prayer for Israel in wartime is “refashioned from material online, especially that of Rabbi Ahud Sela.” The English version previously appeared in the article “For this unprecedented time of war and grief, new prayers for those held captive by Hamas” by Aviya Kushner (The Forward, 3 November 2023). The article notes the prayer “[acknowledges] that men, women and children are all among the abducted” and that it “expressly asks [God to] ‘comfort the families of all those murdered.'” . . . תפילה מונגשת לזמן מלחמה | A Prayer for Israel in Wartime, in simplified Hebrew (Masorti Movement in Israel 2023) Contributor(s):The Masorti Movement in Israel, in cooperation with the Israeli Institute on Cognitive Accessibility and Ami: The Association for People with Cognitive Developmental Challenges, produced this “accessible” Prayer in Times of War in simplified Hebrew with communications symbols. The prayer was offered in the spirit of the Masorti Movement’s Siddur b’khol Darkhekha (2018), designed primarily for special needs Bar/Bat Mitzvah programs. . . . תפילה לשלומם ולחזרתם של הנעדרים והשבויים בין אחינו ואחיותינו | Prayer for the Welfare and the Return of Israel’s Captured and Missing from Among our Sisters and Brothers (Masorti Movement in Israel 2023) Contributor(s):This prayer for the captives was prepared for the Masorti Movement in Israel by the Knesset haRabanim b’Yisrael and disseminated in Hebrew, English, French, and Spanish. These were published online for the Masorti Solidarity Shabbat (27-28 October 2023). . . . בָּתֵּי תּוֹסֶפֶת לְ”אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ“ לְמִלְחֶמֶת ”חַרְבוֹת בַּרְזֶל“ | Additional Stanzas of ‘Avinu Malkeinu’ for the Ḥarvot Barzel War, by Yael Levine Contributor(s):An addendum to “Avinu Malkeinu”, which is intended for recitation following the traditional version, which is said in many synagogues now during the Ḥarvot Barzel war (“War of Iron Swords,” i.e., the 2023 Israel–Hamas war). . . . תפלת מי שברך לעת מלחמה מרחשוון תשפ״ד | Mi sheBerakh prayer for Israel at a time of War (Marḥeshvan 5784), by the Masorti Movement in Israel (2023) Contributor(s):“Prayer at a time of war (Marḥeshvan 5784)” was offered by The Masorti Movement In Israel-התנועה המסורתית בישראל and the כנסת הרבנים בישראל for use by congregations worldwide. Originally written by Rabbi Simcha Roth ז״ל, it was adapted by Ze’ev Kainan to suit the current horrors committed by Hamas. . . . Contributor(s):This prayer was offered by Dr. Melila Hellner-Eshed in the days following the attacks of Ḥamas and its allies from Gaza on southern Israel beginning Shemini Atseret 5784 (7 October 2023). The English translation was made Rabbi Zac Kamenetz and Rabbi Marc Margolius. . . . Contributor(s):This prayer for rabbis, cantors, educators, and other congregational workers was offered by Rabbi Menachem Creditor and shared by the author through the Open Siddur Project discussion group on Facebook, 20 October 2023. . . . אֵל מָלֵא רַחֲמִים לְנִשְׁמוֹת תּוֹשָׁבֵי מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל מֶהַיִשּׁוּבֵי עוֹטֵף עַזָּה | El Malé Raḥamim for the residents of the State of Israel from the communities on the Gaza Border, by Cantor Amnon Seelig Contributor(s):This is an El Malé Raḥamim prayer by Cantor Amnon Seelig for the victims of the invasion of HAMA”S from Gaza on Shemini Atseret 5784, with an English translation by Rabbi Oren Steinitz. . . . אל מלא רחמים לזכר הנרצחים | El Malé Raḥamim Prayer for the Victims of Terrorism in the Land of Israel Contributor(s):An El Malé Raḥamim prayer for Victims of Terror in Erets Yisrael, with an English translation by Rabbi Hillel Ḥayyim Lavery-Yisraeli from Prayers for Israel, for Protection from Terror Attacks, and In Memory of the Victims (15 October 2023), page 6. . . . 📖 תְּפִלּוֹת לְמַֽעֲן יִשְׂרָאֵל, נֶֽגֶד מַתְקֵפוֹת, וּלְזִכְרָם שֶׁל הַנִּרְצָחִים | Prayers for Israel, for Protection from Terror Attacks, and In Memory of the Victims, by Rabbi Hillel Ḥayyim Lavery-Yisraëli (2023) Contributor(s):A prayer-booklet prepared for a communal prayer service on 15 October 2023, in the aftermath of the massacres of HAMAS and its allies on Shemini Atseret 5784 (7 October 2023). . . . Contributor(s):As I was in NYC, I first heard the news of the pogrom with which Hamas opened the war between Hallel and the Torah reading on Shemini Atseret. The beginnings of what is now the final stanza of this… I am unsure whether to refer to it as a qinah or a piyut first stirred in my soul during Tefillat Geshem, and the refrain of that stanza during Hakafot that evening. Prayer and song, no matter how joyous, has taken on a somber, cutting, desperate edge for me in this new world where the safety I had once taken for granted was revealed to be an illusion, which is reflected in taking from the phrases taken from the liturgy of the Yomim Nora’im. . . . Prayer for Israel, Tishrei 5784 by Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis (Office of the Chief Rabbi of the UK & the Commonwealth, 12 October 2023) Contributor(s):A prayer for Israel offered by the Office of the Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, Efraim Mirvis on 12 October 2023, in the aftermath of the massacres perpetrated by HAMA”S and their allies in Gaza on the residents and citizens of the State of Israel on Shemini Atseret 5784. The prayer was originally published on the website of the Office of the Chief Rabbi and disseminated via its social media accounts. . . . Contributor(s):This prayer by Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff was offered at the Temple Micah, Lunch and Learn, on 11 Oct 2023. . . . הושע נא | Hosha-na [after the war begun on Shemini Atseret 5784], by Rabbi Annie Lewis (10 October 2023) Contributor(s):This litany of Hoshana’ot was written by Rabbi Annie Lewis. Hebrew translation by Shoshana Michael Zucker. . . . A Prayer for Israel [after the war begun on Shemini Atseret 5784], by Rabbi Daniel Raphael Silverstein (10 October 2023) Contributor(s):This prayer for Israel was written by Rabbi Daniel Raphael Silverstein and first shared via his Facebook page on 10 October 2023, in the aftermath of the massacres by HAMA”S and its allies on 7 October 2023. He added, “A dear teacher of mine asked me to try and compose an appropriate prayer for this moment.” . . . Contributor(s):“A Prayer from a Traumatized Jewish Heart” was written by Rabbi Menachem Creditor and shared by the author via the Open Siddur Project discussion group on Facebook, 10 October 2023. . . . Contributor(s):This prayer by Rabbi David Wolpe was first shared via his Facebook page in the aftermath of the war begun by Hamas on Shemini Atseret 5784. . . . תְּפִלָּה לִשְׁלוֹם הַמְּדִינָה | Prayer for the Welfare of the State of Israel [during the war begun on Shemini Atseret 5784], by Rabbi Mira Regev (HaTenuah HaReformit 2023) Contributor(s):This prayer for the welfare of the State of Israel, by Rabbi Mira Regev, was disseminated by HaTenuah HaReformit (The Israel Movement for Reform and progressive Judaism). English translation by Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman and Rabbi Efrat Rotem. . . . תְּפִלָּה לְפִדְיוֹן שְׁבוּיִם | Prayer for the Redemption of Israelis Taken Captive [during the war begun on Shemini Atseret 5784], by Rabbi Ofer Sabath Beit Halachmi (2023) Contributor(s):This prayer for the liberation of abducted Israeli citizens and military personnel was offered by Rabbi Ofer Sabath Beit Halachmi in response to the war initiated by Hamas from Gaza on Shemini Atseret 5784. The English translation was prepared by Rabbi Dr. Rachel Sabath Beit Halachmi. . . . תְּפִלָּה לִשְׁלוֹם הַמְּדִינָה | Prayer for the Peace of the State of Israel [during the war begun on Shemini Atseret 5784], by Rabbi Ofer Sabath Beit Halachmi (2023) Contributor(s):This prayer for the State of Israel was offered by Rabbi Ofer Sabath Beit Halachmi in response to the war initiated by Hamas from Gaza on Shemini Atseret 5784. The English translation was prepared by Rabbi Dr. Rachel Sabath Beit Halachmi. . . . תפילה לנוכח המלחמה שפרצה בבוקר שמיני עצרת, תשפ”ד | Prayer in response to the war that broke out on the morning of Shemini Atseret 5784, by Rabbi Gil Nativ (Masorti Movement 2023) Contributor(s):A prayer offered by Rabbi Gil Nativ for the Masorti Movement in Israel and the Knesset haRabanim b’Yisrael in response to the invasion from Gaza on Shemini Atseret 5784 (2023), and disseminated via their Facebook page. . . . Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Hannah Spiro on 5 September 2023 Contributor(s):The Opening Prayer given in the U.S. House of Representatives on 5 September 2023. . . . תפילת גשם כולל אמהות | Tefillat Geshem including the matriarchs with stanzas in a backwards acrostic, an adaptation by Eliran Sobel Contributor(s):On Shemini Atseret, one is supposed to begin mentioning rain in the second blessing of their Amidah prayers (Ta’anit 2a). In many communities, this is liturgically marked by a poetic introduction in the repetition of the Amidah, called Geshem, specifically with the piyyut “Zekhor Av” written by Rabbi Eleezer BeRabbi Kalir, which alludes to the references of our forefathers’ relations to water. One feature of this poem is that it utilizes an alef-bet-ical acrostic, and while there are various modern adaptations that include biblical women, those break the acrostic. This is my attempt to compose a version including stanzas for our foremothers, while maintaining the acrostic by writing the women’s stanzas as a backwards acrostic (i.e. starting from tav and going to alef). This backwards acrostic containing the foremothers is then interspersed with Kalir’s original. . . . סֶדֶר אוּשְׁפִּיזִין וְאוּשְׁפִּיזַן לְחַג הַסּוּכוֹת | Service of Welcoming Ushpizin and Ushpizan to the Sukkah on the Festival of Sukkoth, by Hayyim Obadyah Contributor(s):The ceremony of welcoming ushpizin originated in the Jewish mystical tradition of Qabbala, for which the ushipizin represented the divine emanations called “sefiroth”, in the context of the sukka as a representation of Ultimate Redemption. Because of this mystical association, the ceremony was rejected by some communities (such as Spanish and Portuguese Jews) and individuals (such as diehard rationalists). Without applying mystical implications, however, we can see this ritual as a symbol of how we bring into our lives diverse aspects of Jewish history and tradition as we navigate our spiritual journeys. . . . Contributor(s):The ritual of Tashlikh in Hebrew with English and Spanish translations. . . . Contributor(s):I tried to look at different aspects of what we as Jews contemplate and think about as we move towards the High Holy Days. God’s view of what we did out of fear and loneliness and perhaps why we can never see God’s face and for us to reflect on how we act in the world and what God has asked us of in this lifetime. This poem/prayer is perhaps a little rough, that was intentional. Rather than being a true historical commentary on Elul, I tried to tell a little story about it. . . . Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff on 8 August 2023 Contributor(s):The Opening Prayer given in the U.S. House of Representatives on 8 August 2023. . . . Contributor(s):This prayer/poem [‘Call of the Shema’] came out of Rabbi Greene’s (Rabbi of Cong. Har Hashem in Boulder, Colarado) sermon this past Friday and our Torah Study discussion Saturday morning on Parashat Eikev. . . . Contributor(s):While we focus on the Temple’s destruction and all that is related to the ninth of Av I believe that our internal work reflects how we see and perceive the external. . . . Contributor(s):This is an original piyyut, inspired by the structure of the beloved Yom Kippur Ne’ilah piyyut El Nora ‘Alila. In the era of the Sanhedrin, every fast day would have a Ne’ilah service between Minḥa and the conclusion of the fast. While these are no longer in practice for any days other than Yom Kippur, the editor personally feels like it could be worth bringing them back. As part of this idea, this piyyut is meant to be sung after the end of Tishah b’Av mincha but before the fast ends, as we prepare for the weeks of comfort. It is expressly *not* a qinah. . . . Contributor(s):“Comfort in Ruin: Tishah b’Av” was written by Rabbi Menachem Creditor and shared by the author via the Open Siddur Project Discussion Group on Facebook, 27 July 2023. . . . תפילה לתשעה באב | Prayer for the Wellbeing of the State of Israel on Tishah b’Av 5783, by Rabbi David Bigman Contributor(s):Former students felt the need for a special prayer for peace in the State of Israel in her present condition. I wrote this prayer yesterday (the eve of 7th Av 5783) and I felt as if I was praying while I wrote it. Students and friends, please send your constructive criticism. The prayer is for you to use on Tishah b’Av, on Shabbatot and in synagogues or in any other context. . . . Contributor(s):A mi sheberakh prayer for the preservation of democracy in the face of the judicial reforms of the 37th government of the State of Israel. . . . Contributor(s):“A Jerusalem Prayer” by Rabbi Menachem Creditor was shared by the author via the Open Siddur Project discussion group on Facebook, 3 February 2023. . . . Contributor(s):“Morning Prayer” by Rabbi Menachem Creditor was shared via the Open Siddur Project’s Discussion Group on Facebook, 15 June 2023. . . . Benediction at the Commissioning Ceremony of the USS Carl M. Levin, by Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff (24 June 2023) Contributor(s):This benediction was offered by Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff at the commissioning ceremony for the USS Carl M. Levin on Saturday morning, 24 June 2023. . . . |
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