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
This prayer in support of the Crimean War was offered by Rabbi Nathan Marcus Adler, chief rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Empire on the National Day of Humiliation and Prayer, 26 April 1854, and published in The Asmonian (19 May 1854), on page 6. . . . 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. . . . “Prayer for Sailors and Soldiers on Active Service,” was likely written by Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz and published at the outset of the Prayer Book for Jewish Sailors and Soldiers [of H.M. Forces] (Office of the Chief Rabbi 1914), p. 5. . . . “Prayer Composed by the Chief Rabbi on the Declaration of War. (August 1914.),” by Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz, was published in the Prayer Book for Jewish Sailors and Soldiers [of H.M. Forces] (Office of the Chief Rabbi 1914), p. 32. . . . This prayer for victory and deliverance in the war against Nazi Germany, simply titled “War Prayer,” appears in the Prayer Book of Jewish Members of H.M. Forces (Office of the Chief Rabbi 1940), pp. 16-17. Sections of the prayer were adapted from the prayer on the declaration of war by Rabbi Hertz in 1914 at the outset of World War I. In the preface to the payer book, Rabbi Joseph H. Hertz specifically mentions this prayer, among others, as having been newly revised for this publication. The initial version of the prayer, likely to have been written by Rabbi Hertz, was published by the Office of the Chief Rabbi for a 17 Tammuz service in July 1938. A revision was disseminated after Kristallnacht (9-10 November 1938). This is the third version of the prayer. . . . |
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