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Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Morris Silverman on 19 February 1959

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Morris Silverman, Emanuel Synagogue, Hartford, Connecticut
Date of Prayer: 19 February 1959
Sponsor: n/a
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Contribute a translationSource (English)
Father of all men and all nations,
we thank Thee
that through the goodly heritage
of freedom we enjoy,
our lives are fallen
in pleasant places.
We pray that we may ever uphold
the principle enunciated by George Washington,
the Father of our Country:
“Happily this Government
can give to bigotry no sanction
and to persecution no assistance.”[1] From George Washington’s “Letter to the Jews of Newport,” August 17th, 1790. 
May we ever hold with him that,
“Of all the dispositions and habits
which lead to political prosperity,
religion, and morality
are indispensable supports.”[2] From George Washington’s “Farewell Address” (1796) 
Open our eyes to understand
that the greatness of our country lies not only
in our material achievements,
economic prosperity,
industrial expansion,
and raising the standards of living,
but also in the spiritual advance we make
in the justice, harmony, and good will
that prevail among us
and in the equality of opportunity,
offered alike to all our inhabitants,
to live in dignity and freedom
as becometh children created in Thine image.
Give us courage equal to our responsibilities,
and wisdom equal to our strength.
Grant that our strength be revealed
not only in guided missiles,
but in guided leaders,
men and women with big hearts
and strong minds and broad vision,
leaders who will be guided by truth, righteousness,
and justice tempered with mercy,
to labor for the well-being of all our people.
Bless the President of these United States,
the Vice President,
the Members of the Senate
and the House of Representatives,
and all who exercise just and rightful authority,
that they may safeguard
the ideals and free institutions
which are our country’s glory.
O send Thy healing
to John Foster Dulles,[3] John Foster Dulles (1888-1959). From his article on Wikipedia, “Dulles developed colon cancer, for which he was first operated on in November 1956 when it had caused a bowel perforation. He experienced abdominal pain at the end of 1958 and was hospitalized with a diagnosis of diverticulitis. In January 1959, Dulles returned to work, but with more pain and declining health underwent abdominal surgery in February at Walter Reed Army Medical Center when the cancer’s recurrence became evident. After recuperating in Florida, Dulles returned to Washington for work and radiation therapy. With further declining health and evidence of bone metastasis, he resigned from office on April 15, 1959. Dulles died at Walter Reed on May 24, 1959, at the age of 71.”  our Secretary of State,
that he may continue to serve our country.
In these critical and trying days of world tension,
guide with Thy spirit our leaders
and the leaders of all nations,
that they may remove
the fears, misunderstandings and suspicions,
the envy, bigotry, and greed
which culminate in strife, violence, and war.
May this land, under Thy providence,
be an influence for good throughout the world,
uniting all men everywhere
in understanding and friendship,
in freedom and world peace.

This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the second month of the first session of the 86th US Congress in the Senate. The source images of the prayer were copied by Howard Mortman and shared via his @CongressRabbi Twitter account. All credit to Howard Mortman for his research in digging up this prayer. Unfortunately, neither the source images nor his tweets provide an exact citation reference to the volume, issue, and page number of the Congressional Record in which the prayer was published. If you know, leave a comment, or contact us.

Source(s)

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain (Morris Silverman, 19 February 1959)

 

Notes

Notes
1From George Washington’s “Letter to the Jews of Newport,” August 17th, 1790.
2From George Washington’s “Farewell Address” (1796)
3John Foster Dulles (1888-1959). From his article on Wikipedia, “Dulles developed colon cancer, for which he was first operated on in November 1956 when it had caused a bowel perforation. He experienced abdominal pain at the end of 1958 and was hospitalized with a diagnosis of diverticulitis. In January 1959, Dulles returned to work, but with more pain and declining health underwent abdominal surgery in February at Walter Reed Army Medical Center when the cancer’s recurrence became evident. After recuperating in Florida, Dulles returned to Washington for work and radiation therapy. With further declining health and evidence of bone metastasis, he resigned from office on April 15, 1959. Dulles died at Walter Reed on May 24, 1959, at the age of 71.”

 

 

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