Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Akiva Males on 23 April 2008

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=27671

Date: 2019-10-22

Last Updated: 2025-02-02

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

Tags: 110th Congress, 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., English vernacular prayer, Prayers of Guest Chaplains, U.S. House of Representatives, תחינות teḥinot

Excerpt: The Opening Prayer given in the U.S. House of Representatives on 23 April 2008. . . .

Content:

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Akiva Males, Kesher Israel Congregation, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Sponsor: Rep. Tim Holden (D-PA)
Date of Prayer: 04/23/2008

Mr. HOLDEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and thank Rabbi Akiva Males for providing today’s prayer and blessing for both the House and for our country.

Rabbi Males is a native of Cleveland, Ohio, which he left to pursue his ordainment by attending rabbinical schools in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Jerusalem, Israel; and Queens, New York. He was eventually ordained as a rabbi by the Rabbinical Seminary of America in Queens, New York.

Rabbi Males is a member of the Rabbinical Council of America. He and his wife Lynn reside in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, located in my congressional district. He is now assisting Rabbi Dr. Chaim Schertz at Kesher Israel Congregation, a synagogue comprised of close to 200 members that has been an enhancing force in Harrisburg for over 100 years.

Rabbi Males is a pillar of faith, service, and commitment in the Harrisburg community, and I welcome him and his family to our Nation’s Capital.

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Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
	Merciful Father in heaven, As a new day begins in this great chamber, we thank You for the many blessings You have bestowed upon us.
	Please strengthen these representatives of the United States of America, to act with justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with You.
	Endow them with wisdom, understanding, and courage, as they address the diverse needs of the citizens of our great country.
	Bless these representatives with the patience, and spirit of cooperation needed to solve the many challenges they face.
	Grant to these hard–working men and women of the House of Representatives the wisdom and understanding needed to lead the United States of America with righteousness and integrity – so that our great country will continue to be a beacon of light and inspiration unto the world.
אָמֵן׃	May this be Your will, and let us all say, Amen.

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Source(s)

110th Congress, 2nd Session
Issue: Vol. 154, No. 65 — Daily Edition (April 23, 2008)

Link: https://chaplain.house.gov/archive/index.html?id=601

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: Akiva Males
  Bio: Akiva Males is rabbi of Young Israel of Memphis, Tennessee. He grew up in Cleveland, OH, and received his Jewish education at the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland, the Wisconsin Institute for Torah Study (W.I.T.S.), and Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim (Rabbinical Seminary of America) based in Queens, NY -- where he received his semikha. From 2007-2016, Rabbi Males served as rabbi of Kesher Israel Congregation in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
  Website: http://www.yiom.org/about-our-shul/our-rav-and-rebbetzin
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/akiva-males

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