Prayer on the Anniversary of Brighton & Hove Liberal Synagogue, by Lilian Helen Montagu (27 May 1956)

Contributor(s):

Aharon N. Varady (transcription) and Lilian Helen Montagu

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27 August 2022 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license

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Congregation & Community

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20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., British Jewry, English vernacular prayer, Sussex Jewry

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Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Almighty Father, We thank Thee for bringing us together on this happy occasion to speak our word to Thee. Our hearts are full of gratitude for having enabled us to worship as a Congregation during the last 21 years. We have come to this Synagogue in time of joy and in times of sorrow and felt Thy presence in our midst.
	We have received fine leadership from men dedicated to work with Thee and for Thee. We think especially in affection and gratitude of our present leader who has worked steadfastly and courageously. We would remember all those who helped to found our Congregation and who subsequently strove for its welfare, and who are no longer with us.
	We think also of those who whether as officers or teachers or musicians or as ardent congregants are inspired by the desire to serve our Congregation, and through such service to help the House of Israel, and indeed the whole of mankind.
	We turn, O God, to look at the future, and in a humble spirit, we dedicate ourselves anew to Thee. We would ask Thee to bless the children in our midst, so that they may grow up as witnesses of Thy reality. We ask Thee to bless all who worship here, now and in the years to come, so that they may seek and find Thee in this Sanctuary, and may carry from it the inspiration of a living Jewish faith which will express itself in mutual good will and friendliness, in the search after truth, in the practice of justice, in the effort towards righteousness, in reverence for beauty, in work for peace and in the giving of love.
	Thus may we approach a little nearer unto Thee in humble and joyful service, O Thou who are the Father of all, the Creator of the Universe. We bless and praise Thy glorious name. Amen.

This “Brighton 21st Anniversary” prayer (27 May 1956) by the Hon. Lily H. Montagu (1873-1963) from the archives of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, London, was published in, Lily Montagu: Sermons, Addresses, Letters, and Prayers (ed. Ellen M. Umansky, 1985), pp. 353-354. Brighton & Hove Liberal (now, Progressive) Synagogue, also known as Adat Shalom Verei’ut (Congregation of Peace and Friendship), is a Liberal synagogue in Hove, Sussex, England. It was established in 1935.

Source(s)

Lily Montagu, sermons, addresses, letters, and prayers – Religious Leader – p. 353

Lily Montagu, sermons, addresses, letters, and prayers – Religious Leader – p. 354

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“Prayer on the Anniversary of Brighton & Hove Liberal Synagogue, by Lilian Helen Montagu (27 May 1956)” is shared by the living contributor(s) with a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International copyleft license.

Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)

Lilian Helen Montagu

The Hon. Lilian Helen "Lily" Montagu, CBE (22 December 1873 – 22 January 1963) was the first woman to play a major role in Progressive Judaism. Until the age of 15, she was educated at Doreck College, and privately educated thereafter. In 1893 she founded with Emily Marion Harris the West Central Jewish Girls Club (which subsequently merged into the Jewish Girls' Brigade). She was active in social improvement, particularly in respect to unemployment, sweat shops and bad housing. In 1901 and 1902, Montagu laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Jewish Religious Union in London. In February 1902 she arranged the first meeting of the Jewish Religious Union for the Advancement of Liberal Judaism at her sister Henrietta Franklin's house. The Union set up the first synagogue in Liberal Judaism in the UK and helped found the World Union for Progressive Judaism. Montagu was a founding member with her sister of the Jewish League for Woman Suffrage. She sat on the executive committee and led the meetings in prayer. Following the retirement of Leo Baeck, Montagu served for a brief stint (1955–1959) in her 80s as president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, before handing the reins over to Solomon Freehof.

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Hove Progressive Synagogue, Lansdowne Road, looking east. (credit:,Hassocks5489 license: CC0/PD)

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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