Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Theodore Lewis on 18 February 1963

Contributor(s): Theodore Lewis and the Congressional Record of the United States of America

Shared on: 17 February 2024 under the Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication

Categories: 🇺🇸 George Washington's Birthday (3rd Monday of February), 🇺🇸 Brotherhood Week, 🇺🇸 United States of America, Opening Prayers for Legislative Bodies

Tags: 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., 88th Congress, English vernacular prayer, Prayers of Guest Chaplains, U.S. Senate, תחינות teḥinot

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Theodore Lewis, Touro Synagogue, Newport, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
Date of Prayer: 18 February 1963
Sponsor: n/a

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Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	We beseech Thee, O God, to give of Thy blessings to the Members of this distinguished assembly, the U.S. Senate. They have need of Thy divine guidance and inspiration as they deliberate on complex matters that affect not only every citizen of this land, but also the whole human race.
	Imbue them, O God, with wisdom of heart and mind, that they may arrive at just, equitable, and lasting solutions to the perplexing problems that confront them.
	Keep them alert and vigilant, that they may vigorously resist any encroachment on the liberties that we now enjoy.
	Grant them inflexibility of courage and fortitude of spirit, that they be not deflected from the noble ideals to which they have dedicated themselves.
	May their actions ever be a reflection of the immortal words that George Washington addressed to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, R.I. “To bigotry, no sanction; to persecution, no assistance,”^[1] From George Washington’s “Letter to the Jews of Newport,” August 17th, 1790. for it is only when prejudice and bias give way to harmony and brotherhood can there be hope for peace, stability, and survival for mankind.
	May it be Thy will, O God, that the concept of the brotherhood of man, as expressed in such vital terms in these United States of America, shall extend beyond these shores, so that there will be ushered in an era of amity and fellowship between all races, an era in which nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.^[2] Isaiah 2:4. Amen.

This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the second month of the first session of the 88th US Congress. 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 (Theodore Lewis 18 February 1963)

Notes[+]

Notes
1	From George Washington’s “Letter to the Jews of Newport,” August 17th, 1790.
2	Isaiah 2:4.

. Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication . 1.0 . Universal .

“Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Theodore Lewis on 18 February 1963” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 Universal license.

Theodore Lewis

Theodore Lewis (1915-2010), born in Dublin, Ireland, led Congregation Jeshuat Israel (Touro Synagogue) in Newport, Rhode Island for 36 years, beginning in 1949. He studied in the Mir Yeshiva in Poland from from 1935 to 1939. On 30 June 1959, he appeared on the television program, To Tell the Truth. He published two works: Sermons at Touro Synagogue (1980) and a companion volume, Bar Mitzvah Sermons at Touro Synagogue (1989).

the Congressional Record of the United States of America

The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress, published by the United States Government Printing Office and issued when Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks. At the end of a session of Congress, the daily editions are compiled in bound volumes constituting the permanent edition. Statutory authorization for the Congressional Record is found in Chapter 9 of Title 44 of the United States Code. (wikipedia)

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Works of related interest:

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Gershon B. Chertoff on 25 March 1963

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

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Joseph P. Weinberg on 21 February 1974

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Samuel Thurman on 26 February 1945

Flag of the United States House of Representatives

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Theodore S. Levy on 8 March 1984

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Chaplain Simeon Kobrinetz on 26 February 1975

Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Karl Applbaum on 29 April 1963

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ויהי נעם אדני אלהינו עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו ומעשה ידינו כוננהו "May the pleasantness of אדֹני our elo’ah be upon us; may our handiwork be established for us — our handiwork, may it be established." –Psalms 90:17