Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff on 1 September 2017

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Date: 2018-04-29

Last Updated: 2025-03-27

Categories: 🇺🇸 United States of America, Opening Prayers for Legislative Bodies

Tags: 115th Congress, 2017 Charlottesville attack, 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., anti-fascist, English vernacular prayer, Prayers of Guest Chaplains, U.S. House of Representatives, Unite the Right rally, תחינות teḥinot

Excerpt: The Opening Prayer given in the U.S. House of Representatives on 1 September 2017. . . .

Content:

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff, Retired Chaplain, U.S. Navy, Washington, DC
Date of Prayer: 09/01/2017

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	God, author of liberty, we pray, reflect, meditate in different ways, but sing “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee,” for unalienable rights, our Nation’s backbone, come from You.
	Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness–– pursuing justice too–– doors opened; walls and ceilings shattered; freedom shining through.
	Today, in 1939, Hitler invades Poland. War spreads: liberty, life denied beyond a chosen few.
	Humanity itself rejected with the Nazi stamp: “life–– unworthy of life.”
	We fought, died for freedom’s cause.
	Lincoln taught: remember those who fought, gave their all, by continuing their unfinished work with increased devotion to their cause. Then they don’t die in vain.
	Neo–Nazis, racists, bigots, would quench the flame of freedom’s holy light.
	We pray for, rescue Harvey’s victims, but hatred’s storm clouds gather, threaten all.
	Help us reaffirm our vision–– brighter, more inclusive than before: every human life created equal, holy, none less human than our own.
	And may we say, amen.

Source(s)

115th Congress, 1st Session. Congressional Record, Issue: Vol. 163, No. 141 — Daily Edition (September 1, 2017)

Link: https://chaplain.house.gov/chaplaincy/display_gc.html?id=2593

Contributor: the Congressional Record of the United States of America

Co-authors:

Name: the Congressional Record of the United States of America
Bio: The Congressional Record is the official record of the proceedings and debates of the United States Congress, published by the United States Government Printing Office and issued when Congress is in session. Indexes are issued approximately every two weeks. At the end of a session of Congress, the daily editions are compiled in bound volumes constituting the permanent edition. Statutory authorization for the Congressional Record is found in Chapter 9 of Title 44 of the United States Code. (wikipedia)
Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Record
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/united-states-congressional-record

Name: Arnold E. Resnicoff
Bio: Arnold E. Resnicoff (born 1946) is a Conservative rabbi who began his career serving as a military officer and then as a military chaplain. He served in Vietnam and Europe before attending rabbinical school after which he was a U.S. Navy Chaplain for almost 25 years. After the Vietnam War, he promoted the creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and delivered the closing prayer at its 1982 dedication. Rabbi Resnicoff was present at the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing and the following year, President Ronald Reagan shared Rabbi Resnicoff's eyewitness account. After retiring from the military he became the National Director of Interreligious Affairs for the American Jewish Committee and served as Special Assistant (for Values and Vision) to the Secretary and Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, serving at the equivalent military rank of Brigadier General. Resnicoff holds several degrees, including an honorary doctorate. His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Department of the Air Force Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service, and the Chapel of Four Chaplains Hall of Heroes Gold Medallion.
Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Resnicoff
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/arnold-resnicoff

Featured Image:

Title: Flag_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives.svg
Caption: Flag of the United States House of Representatives