Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff on 18 August 2017

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Date: 2018-04-29

Last Updated: 2025-02-02

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 18 August 2017 . . .

Content:

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Arnold E. Resnicoff, Retired Chaplain, U.S. Navy, Washington, DC
Date of Prayer: 08/18/2017

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Almighty God, we pray, reflect, or meditate in different ways but together ask your blessing for this country that we love.
	We are far from perfect, but we have a perfect dream: liberty, justice—equality—for all.
	On this date – August 18 – we made progress in the past. We ratified the nineteenth amendment, tearing down the wall that blocked a woman’s right to vote; did what we do best when we are at our best: made a moral right a legal right, enshrining liberty in law.
	This week we mourn the pain and death of neighbors –– the clashes in the street, the shouted words of hate –– attacks against the very dreams that remind us who and what we yearn to be.
	And so we pray with words of song: America, America God mend thine every flaw Confirm thy soul in self–control, Thy liberty in law.
	–– And let us say, Amen

Source(s)

115th Congress, 1st Session. Congressional Record, Issue: Vol. 163, No. 137 — Daily Edition (August 18, 2017)

Link: https://chaplain.house.gov/chaplaincy/display_gc.html?id=2587

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

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Caption: Flag of the United States House of Representatives