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We stand before Thee gratefully and humbly
on this anniversary of our congregation’s existence.
We are thankful for so much.
For the vision and courage
of those intrepid men and women
who foresaw the need for such a congregation as this
and the possibility of its growth.
For the devotion and strength
of those whose leadership and labor through the years
have brought the dream of our founders to abundant fulfillment.
For the generous support
of all who have provided the sinews and substance
without which our achievement would not have been possible.
But we do not boast of our accomplishment, Lord, God.
We do not pretend that our strength
or the power of our hand alone
has brought us this success.
It is Thy spirit
which has inspired us
and Thy great strength
which has moved and sustained us.
We pray that it may ever be so.
May we overcome
whatever obstacles and discouragements
obstruct the path upward toward Thee
as the Goal of our lives.
Like Aaron and Hur of old,
who upheld the weary arms of Moses
that the people of Israel might triumph,
so may we the members of this congregation
ever uphold the hearts and hands of all who lead and guide us.
Grateful for the accomplishment of the past, O Lord,
we pray that in the future too
we may continue to merit the success
which can come only through Thy blessing.
May the ties between Rabbi and people
be deepened and strengthened.
And may love unite us more firmly:
the love of each other here;
the love of our fellow-Jews everywhere;
the love of all humanity;
and above and beyond all that, O Lord,
the deathless love of Thee.
“Temple Anniversary Prayer” by Rabbi Roland Gittelsohn was written sometime between 1953 and 1962, likely for Temple Israel (Boston, Massachusetts), where he served from 1953 until 1977. Unfortunately, no more information was provided by Rabbi David Bial in his anthology, An Offering of Prayer (1962), p. 52, from where this prayer was transcribed. If you know more, please leave a comment or contact us.
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 naqeniשְׁגִיאוֹת 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.)
Roland B. Gittelsohn
Roland B. Gittelsohn (May 13, 1910 to December 13, 1995) was an American Reform Rabbi, community leader, and outspoken voice of conscience. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he received a B.A. in 1931 from Western Reserve University and a B.H. from Hebrew Union College in 1934. He was ordained at Hebrew Union College in 1936. Gittelsohn then undertook graduate studies at the Teachers’ College, Columbia University and New School in New York. He initially served at the Central Synagogue of Nassau County, N.Y. from 1936-1953. During WWII, Gittelsohn was a chaplain with the 5th Marine Division, participating in the Iwo Jima invasion. His dedication of the cemetery and memorial for Iwo Jima was widely publicized, mainly because of a controversy over having a rabbi say a prayer at the graves of non-Jews. This address is perhaps one of his most famous legacies. He was also awarded three ribbons for his service at Iwo Jima. After the war, Gittelsohn served on President Truman’s Committee on Civil Rights in 1947. During the McCarthy and House on Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) era, Gittelsohn publicly denounced the steady erosion of civil liberties in America. In 1954, Gittelsohn moved to Temple Israel in Boston, where he would remain for the rest of his career, serving as president of the Massachusetts Board of Rabbis from 1958-1960 and president of the Jewish Community Council of Metropolitan Boston 1961-1963. Meanwhile, He served in the Governor’s Commission to Survey Massachusetts Courts in 1955, Massachusetts Commission on Abolition of the Death Penalty 1957-1958, the Governor’s Committee on Migratory Labor 1960-1962 and the Governor’s Committee to Survey Operation of Massachusetts Prisons 1961-1962. From its outset, Gittelsohn condemned the Vietnam War.Gittelsohn received two honorary degrees in 1961, the first being a D.D. from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and the other a Sc.D. from Lowell Technological Institute (now Lowell University). He became president of the Central Conference of American Rabbis (CCAR) 1969-1971, founding president of the Association of Reform Zionists of America (ARZA) 1977-1984 and the founding president of the World Zionist Executive & Jewish Agency Board of Governors 1978-1984. Gittelsohn was also extremely active in the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC). He was on its Board of Trustees and was the Vice Chairman 1973-1977, was an honorary life member and the Chairman of the Commission on Jewish Education 1959-1968. Gittelsohn received two awards from the UAHC, the Eisendrath Award in 1983 and the Jay Kaufman Award in 1984.(Much of this text was adapted from Rabbi Gittelsohn's biography prepared by the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives, Cincinnati, Ohio.)
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