Friday’s Prayer, by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)

Contributor(s):

Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription) and Lilian Helen Montagu

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9 May 2023 under the Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication

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Friday

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19th century C.E., תחינות teḥinot, 57th century A.M., Jewish Women's Prayers, Friday, English vernacular prayer, teḥinot in English, West Central Girls' Club

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Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Friday’s prayer.
	Waken my soul to understand and to appreciate the glories of nature everywhere around me. The rich may enjoy many pleasures, but the greatest of all Thou hast granted to all Thy children alike, wherever they are to be found, and however unhappy their lives may otherwise be.
	We are able, if we look out for it, to witness how Thy glorious power reveals itself in the wondrous changes of nature. Seasons succeed one another, and each one has its own particular charm. Do Thou fill my heart with the joys of spring, with the sweet thoughts of summer. Cause me to understand the lessons which autumn teaches, and let me profit by the discipline of winter.
	At night, when I look up into the sky, and see the countless stars, let me remember that each one of them may, for all I know, be a world like ours, and surrounded by a number of other worlds, and that Thou art Lord of all. Then I shall realise how small the greatest of us must seem in Thy sight.
	But do not, O Lord, let these thoughts frighten me, but strengthen my trust, that Thou, who art God of the whole universe, art certainly able to guard, protect, and lead me, and that if I am content to walk in Thy ways I need never be dismayed.
	The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear Him; He also will hear their cry, and will save them. (Psalms 145:18-19)

“Friday’s Prayer” was written by Lilian Helen Montagu and published in Prayers for Jewish Working Girls (1895), pp. 15-16.

Source(s)

. Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication . 1.0 . Universal .

“Friday’s Prayer, by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)” is shared through the Open Siddur Project with a Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication 1.0 Universal license.

Aharon N. Varady (editing/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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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