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.)

Rabbi Dr. Maurice Henry Harris (1859-1930) was a prominent Reform movement rabbi and writer in the United States. At the time of his death, he was president of the Association of Reform Rabbis of New York City. He wrote, People of the Book. A Bible history for school and home (1893), Jewish history and literature : a course of lessons from the rise of the Kabbala to the expulsion of the Jews by Spain (1899), History of the mediaeval Jews, from the Moslem conquest of Spain to the discovery of America (1924), A thousand years of Jewish history, from the days of Alexander the Great to the Moslem conquest of Spain (1927), Modern Jewish history from the Renaissance to the close of the World War (1928), and posthumously, Hebraic literature : translations from the Talmud, Midrashim and Kabbala (1946). We know very little else about Rabbi Harris's life and career. If you can add a detail, please contact us.

The National Jewish Welfare Board (JWB) was formed on April 9, 1917, three days after the United States declared war on Germany, in order to support Jewish soldiers in the U.S. military during World War Ⅰ. The impetus for creating the organization stemmed from Secretary of War, Newton Baker and Secretary of Navy, Josephus Daniels. The organization was also charged with recruiting and training rabbis for military service, as well as providing support materials to these newly commissioned chaplains. The JWB also maintained oversight of Jewish chapel facilities at military installations. In 1921, several organizations merged with the JWB to become a national association of Jewish community centers around the country in order to integrate social activities, education, and active recreation. These merged organizations included the YWHA, YMHA, and the National Council of Young Men's Hebrew and Kindred Association. In 1941, in a response to a mandate from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, six private organizations - the National Jewish Welfare Board, the YMCA, YWCA, the Traveler's Aid Association, and the Salvation Army - were challenged to handle the on-leave morale and recreational needs for members of the Armed Forces. On 4 February 1941, the six organizations pooled their resources and founded the United Service Organizations (USO). The National Jewish Welfare Board is now the JWB Jewish Chaplains Council, part of Jewish Community Centers (JCC) of North America. The JWB Jewish Chaplains Council sends prayer books, religious artifacts and supplies for Jewish holidays, including Passover Seder kits, Ḥanukkah candles, four species for Sukkot, and more.