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

Contributor(s):

Lilian Helen Montagu and Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Shared on:

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

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Tags:

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

Source (English)

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	Thursday’s prayer.
	My God,— Grant me faith and steadfast trust in Thee! My life often seems so difficult and so sad; if I lose my faith in Thee I feel sure that I shall no longer be able to endure existence. O Lord, I pray Thee, let my faith grow as I grow, and never lose its power.
	Let my faith in Thee, O Lord, help me to resist temptation; let it prevent me from allowing my life to slip away in idle frivolity.
	O God, my Father, teach me to lift up my eyes unto Thee in hours of difficulty and to ask Thee for strength; teach me also to praise Thee for the many little joys which gladden my life.
	If my faith in Thee is strong I shall obtain that peace of soul which is better than all earthly happiness.
	Strengthen my conviction that I shall never die; that when I leave this life, I shall enter upon the other which Thou hast prepared for me. Death will lose its terrors, and I shall accept, without murmur or complaint, all that Thou in Thy great wisdom hast willed for me. Almighty Father, give me faith!
	As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God! (Psalms 42:1) Hope thou in God, for I shall ever praise Him who is the health of my countenance and my God! (Psalms 42:11)

“Thursday’s Prayer” was written by Lilian Helen Montagu and published in Prayers for Jewish Working Girls (1895), pp. 14-15.

Source(s)

. Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication . 1.0 . Universal .

“Thursday’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.

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.

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.)

Stable Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=50721

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thursday’s prayer (Lilian H. Montagu 1895) – cropped

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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

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