Contributor(s): Shared on: 7 May 2023 under the Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication Categories: Tags: Contribute a translation | Source (English) |
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On leaving school and beginning apprenticeship. | |
Almighty Father,—
I am about to leave school and to begin work.
I have had many happy years at my lessons,
but I feel glad that I shall now learn a useful trade,
and in time be able to help mother and father by my earnings. | |
Grant that I may be an industrious girl;
not grumbling about hard work,
but doing everything as well as I can. | |
I am still a little child, O Lord,
in Thy sight.
Deal with me in mercy.
My future depends on my doing well now.
Make me wise, O Lord,
and train my hands,
for without Thy help
I am sure to go astray. | |
Do not let my school-days be wasted,
but fill me with a desire to go on learning
whenever I have the chance. | |
There is so much I ought to know,
which I have not yet learned.
Help me to be modest
in the company of those
who are willing and able to teach me,
so that I may never neglect an opportunity
of improving myself.
In all I do,
and in all I try to do,
be Thou my help
and my strength! | |
Come, ye children, hearken unto me.
I will teach you the fear of the Lord. (Psalms 34:11)
Keep thy tongue from evil,
and thy lips from speaking deceit.
Depart from evil, and do good.
Seek peace and pursue it. (Psalms 34:13-14) | |
The word is very nigh unto thee,
in thy mouth and in thy heart
that thou mayest do it. (Deut. 30:14) |
“On Leaving School and Beginning Apprenticeship” was written by Lilian Helen Montagu and published in Prayers for Jewish Working Girls (1895), pp. 21-22. Source(s)
 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. 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.)
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