This is an archive of prayers composed in response to, or in anxious anticipation of, war. Click here to contribute a prayer you have written, or a transcription and translation of a historical prayer. Filter resources by Collaborator Name Filter resources by Tag Filter resources by Category Filter resources by Language Filter resources by Date Range
Resources filtered by CATEGORY: “Conflicts over Sovereignty and Dispossession” (clear filter)Fred MacDowell: “Then, as now, war was looked upon by many as a great evil, especially between brothers, and many American Colonists only wanted the oppressive measures of King George III to be lifted, bloodshed ended, and peace restored. The nascent American Congress called for a day of “Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer” along these lines for May 17, 1776. It was for this occasion that this prayer was recited in Congregation Shearith Israel in New York. As you can see, a complete service was arranged for this occasion, meant to invoke the solemnity and seriousness of the occasion; after morning prayer, Taḥanun was to be sung to the tune of a Yom Kippur pizmon; a dozen Psalms recited, and then the Ḥazan would recite this prayer written for the occasion, and of course all were to be fasting. The prayer hopes for a change of heart for King George III and his advisors, that they would rescind their wrath and harsh decrees against “North America,” that the bloodshed should end, and peace and reconciliation should obtain between the Americans and Great Britain once more, in fulfillment of the Messianic verse that Nation shall not lift up sword against nation. Of course this was not meant to be, and six weeks later the American Congress declared independence from Great Britain, and there was no walking back from the hostilities which had already occurred.” . . . This “Prayer for a day of prayer and humiliation on account of the revolt in India” is the second of two prayers appearing in article titled, “Humiliation” appearing in The Asmonean (6 November 1857), on page 5. As an introduction, the article begins: “The British nation have been holding a day of humiliation on account of the revolt in India. The following are copies of the prayers specially composed for the occasion.” The prayer is attributed simply to the S&P Synagogue (in London, a/k/a Bevis Marks Congregation) but the author was likely the Hazan of the synagogue at the time, Rabbi David de Aaron de Sola. . . . This “Prayer for a day of prayer and humiliation on account of the revolt in India” is the first of two prayers appearing in an article titled, “Humiliation” appearing in The Asmonean (6 November 1857), on page 5. As an introduction, the article begins: “The British nation have been holding a day of humiliation on account of the revolt in India. The following are copies of the prayers specially composed for the occasion.” The prayer is attributed simply to the Synagogues of the United Congregations of the British Empire but the author was likely its chief rabbi, Nathan Marcus Adler. . . .
Tags: 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., civilian casualties, civilian non-combatants, Gaza, Gaza War (2008-2009), Israeli–Palestinian conflict, מדינת ישראל Medinat Yisrael, Needing Vocalization, Operation Cast Lead, فلسطين Filasṭīn Palestine, prayers concerning children A prayer for empathy and compassion in the face of calls for violence and vengeance. . . . A desperate prayer against the dehumanization and reductive feelings of anger and desperation in the context of the conflict between Israel and Gaza in the summer of 2014. . . . A prayer for Ukraine by Rabbi Miriam Klimova in Hebrew and Ukrainian first shared via her Facebook page on 24 February 2022. . . . “Prayer for the People of Ukraine” was written by the chief rabbi of the United Kingdom, Ephraim Mirvis, and shared via the Twitter account of the Office of the Chief Rabbi. . . . “A Prayer for Peace in the Ukraine” was first shared by Rabbi Sabath Beit-Halachmi, Ph.D. via her Facebook page, motsei Shabbat on 27 February 2022. To support the Jewish community in the Ukraine, go to the World Union of Progressive Judaism. . . . A prayer for a Yizkor service on Yom Kippur during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. . . . “Prayer for Ukraine” by Rabbi Dr. Reuven Kimelman was first published by Brandeis University on their website. . . . This prayer for peace in Ukraine was co-written by the Masorti Movement in Israel and the Rabbinic Assembly in Israel, and read by Rabbi Ori Friedland (Hebrew) and Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg (English) in an international prayer service organized by Masorti Olami in solidarity with Ukraine and the Jewish communities therein. . . . This prayer for Ukraine was shared on 24 February 2022 by the clergy of Sinai Temple, Los Angeles (Rabbi Davvid Wolpe, Rabbi Erez Sherman, Rabbi Nicole Guzik, Cantor Marcus Feldman) via the temple’s Facebook page. . . . A prayer offered by Rabbi Gil Nativ for the Masorti Movement in Israel and the Knesset haRabanim b’Yisrael in response to the invasion from Gaza on Shemini Atseret 5784 (2023), and disseminated via their Facebook page. . . . This litany of Hoshana’ot was written by Rabbi Annie Lewis. Hebrew translation by Shoshana Michael Zucker. . . . This prayer for Ukraine was first offered by Rabbi Lior Bar-Ami sometime before May 2024. . . . |
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