Contributed by: Aharon N. Varady (transcription), Jacob Gerstein
This is a letter written by Rev. Jacob Gerstein in the form of a megillah to honor President Woodrow Wilson for his military support of France, thereby defeating Kaiser Wilhelm, Emperor of Germany, and ending World War Ⅰ. Rev. Gerstein notes the Hebrew/Jewish calendar date for the end of hostilities as 7 Kislev 5679 (11 November 1918). The letter was sent some time while Wilson was engaged in peace talks in France after the war, between 14 December 1918 and 28 June 1919. The English translation presented here is the one offered by the author of the megillah. The transcription here was made from a copy of the letter published for Armistice Day (11 November) 1921, לזכרון עולם (L’zikaron Olam ≈ “Everlasting Memorial”), מגילת נצחון (megilat nitsaḥon ≈ “Victory Scroll”). . . .
Contributed by: Abraham Cronbach, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
This prayer for “The Epidemic of 1918” by Rabbi Abraham Cronbach is found in his, Prayers of the Jewish Advance (1924), on pages 126-127. . . .
Contributed by: Morris Samuel Lazaron, Walter Rauschenbusch, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
“Against Impurity,” a variation of the prayer by Rev. Walter Rauschenbusch, is found adapted (abridged without Christian god-language) by Rabbi Morris S. Lazaron in his World War Ⅰ era prayerbook, Side Arms: Readings, Prayers and Meditations for Soldiers and Sailors (1918), on pages 26-27. The original version of the prayer was first published in For God and the People: Prayers of the Social Awakening (Walter Rauschenbusch 1910), pp. 103-104. . . .
Contributed by: Morris Samuel Lazaron, Walter Rauschenbusch, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
“For the Mothers,” a variation of the prayer by Rev. Walter Rauschenbusch, is found adapted (without Christian god-language) by Rabbi Morris S. Lazaron in his World War Ⅰ era prayerbook, Side Arms: Readings, Prayers and Meditations for Soldiers and Sailors (1918), on page 26. The original version of the prayer was first published in For God and the People: Prayers of the Social Awakening (Walter Rauschenbusch 1910), pp. 85-86. . . .
Contributed by: Morris Samuel Lazaron, Howard Allen Bridgman, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
“[Prayer] for the Day’s Round in camp,” a variation of a prayer by Rev. Howard A. Bridgman (1860-1929), is found adapted (without Christian god-language) by Rabbi Morris S. Lazaron in his World War Ⅰ era prayerbook, Side Arms: Readings, Prayers and Meditations for Soldiers and Sailors (1918), on pages 24-25. The original version of the prayer was first published in The Service Song Book (Young Men’s Christian Associations, 1917), pp. 82-83 in the abridged edition. . . .
Contributed by: Morris Samuel Lazaron, Howard Allen Bridgman, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
“[Prayer] for those at home,” a variation of a prayer by Rev. Howard A. Bridgman (1860-1929), is found adapted (without Christian god-language) by Rabbi Morris S. Lazaron in his World War Ⅰ era prayerbook, Side Arms: Readings, Prayers and Meditations for Soldiers and Sailors (1918), on page 25. The original version of the prayer was first published in The Service Song Book (Young Men’s Christian Associations 1917), pp. 86 in the abridged edition. . . .
Contributed by: Miriam del Banco, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
The poem “Friday Night” by Miriam del Banco (1858-1931) was included in The Standard Book of Jewish Verse (ed. Friedlander & Kohut 1917), p. 269. . . .
Contributed by: Morris Rosenfeld, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
“My America (Our New Hymn)” was written by Morris Rosenfeld and published by the Jewish Morning Journal sometime mid-April 1917. On April 2nd, the United States had entered the World War against Germany and its allies. In the xenophobic atmosphere of the United States during World War Ⅰ, Representative Isaac Siegel (1880-1947), R-NY, offered the hymn as evidence of the patriotism of America’s “foreign-born” Jewish immigrants. The poem in its English translation was added to the Congressional Record on 18 April 1917 in an extension of remarks. Xenophobia in the United States though did not ebb. Nearly a year later, on April 4, 1918, a German immigrant, Robert Prager, was lynched in Collinsville, Illinois. . . .
Contributed by: Harry Emerson Fosdick, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
“Prayer for Our Country” by Rev. Harry Emerson Fosdick was selected by Rabbi Morris S. Lazaron for inclusion in his World War Ⅰ era prayerbook, Side Arms: Readings, Prayers and Meditations for Soldiers and Sailors (1918), on pages 27-28. The prayer is printed unchanged from its original publication in The Challenge of the Present Crisis (H.E. Fosdick 1917), pp. 46-47. . . .
Contributed by: Basil Lucas Quixano Henriques, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Basil L.Q. Henriques’s prayer “On a Bed of Sickness.” was first published in The Fratres Book of Prayer for the Oxford and St. George’s Synagogue Jewish Lads Club in 1916, and later reprinted in the Prayer Book of the St. George’s Settlement Synagogue (1929), “Special Prayers” section, pages 96-97. . . .
Contributed by: Basil Lucas Quixano Henriques, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Basil L.Q. Henriques’s prayer “In time of stress” was first published in The Fratres Book of Prayer for the Oxford and St. George’s Synagogue Jewish Lads Club in 1916, and later reprinted in the Prayer Book of the St. George’s Settlement Synagogue (1929), “Special Prayers” section, pages 97-98. . . .
Contributed by: Basil Lucas Quixano Henriques, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Basil L.Q. Henriques’s prayer “For the sick” was first published in The Fratres Book of Prayer for the Oxford and St. George’s Synagogue Jewish Lads Club in 1916, and later reprinted in the Prayer Book of the St. George’s Settlement Synagogue (1929), “Special Prayers” section, page 98. . . .
Contributed by: Basil Lucas Quixano Henriques, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Basil L.Q. Henriques’s prayer “In Memoriam” was first published in The Fratres Book of Prayer for the Oxford and St. George’s Synagogue Jewish Lads Club in 1916, and later reprinted in the Prayer Book of the St. George’s Settlement Synagogue (1929), “Special Prayers” section, pages 98-99. . . .
Contributed by: Basil Lucas Quixano Henriques, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Basil L.Q. Henriques’s prayer “For those in sorrow” was first published in The Fratres Book of Prayer for the Oxford and St. George’s Synagogue Jewish Lads Club in 1916, and later reprinted in the Prayer Book of the St. George’s Settlement Synagogue (1929), “Special Prayers” section, page 99. . . .
Contributed by: Basil Lucas Quixano Henriques, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Basil L.Q. Henriques’s prayer “For reconciliation” was first published in The Fratres Book of Prayer for the Oxford and St. George’s Synagogue Jewish Lads Club in 1916, and later reprinted in the Prayer Book of the St. George’s Settlement Synagogue (1929), “Special Prayers” section, page 99. . . .
Contributed by: Basil Lucas Quixano Henriques, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Basil L.Q. Henriques’s prayer “For forgiveness” was first published in The Fratres Book of Prayer for the Oxford and St. George’s Synagogue Jewish Lads Club in 1916, and later reprinted in the Prayer Book of the St. George’s Settlement Synagogue (1929), “Special Prayers” section, pages 99-100. . . .
Contributed by: Basil Lucas Quixano Henriques, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Basil L.Q. Henriques’s prayers “For Faith and Strength” were first published in The Fratres Book of Prayer for the Oxford and St. George’s Synagogue Jewish Lads Club in 1916, and later reprinted in the Prayer Book of the St. George’s Settlement Synagogue (1929), “Special Prayers” section, pages 86-87. . . .
Contributed by: Basil Lucas Quixano Henriques, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Basil L.Q. Henriques’s prayer “For Understanding” was first published in The Fratres Book of Prayer for the Oxford and St. George’s Synagogue Jewish Lads Club in 1916, and later reprinted in the Prayer Book of the St. George’s Settlement Synagogue (1929), “Special Prayers” section, pages 94-95. . . .
Contributed by: Basil Lucas Quixano Henriques, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Basil L.Q. Henriques’s prayers “For Peacefulness” were first published in The Fratres Book of Prayer for the Oxford and St. George’s Synagogue Jewish Lads Club in 1916, and later reprinted in the Prayer Book of the St. George’s Settlement Synagogue (1929), “Special Prayers” section, page 88. The prayer appears to be an expansion of the prayer for peace at the conclusion of the Amidah. . . .
Contributed by: Basil Lucas Quixano Henriques, Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Basil L.Q. Henriques’s prayer “For Usefulness” was first published in The Fratres Book of Prayer for the Oxford and St. George’s Synagogue Jewish Lads Club in 1916, and later reprinted in the Prayer Book of the St. George’s Settlement Synagogue (1929), “Special Prayers” section, page 95. . . .