Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Steven Abraham on 20 November 2019

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=28254

Date: 2019-11-21

Last Updated: 2024-06-01

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

Tags: 116th 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 20 November 2019. . . .

Content:

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Steven Abraham, Beth El Synagogue, Omaha, Nebraska
Sponsor: Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE-02)
Date of Prayer: 2019-11-20

Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to extend my appreciation for my friend, Rabbi Steven Abraham, and thank him for leading today’s session with the opening prayer. I would also like to welcome his family to this House that belongs to all Americans.

Rabbi Abraham has been the rabbi for Beth El Synagogue since 2013, after moving to Omaha to be the assistant rabbi in 2011. He graduated from rabbinical school at the Jewish Theological Seminary, where he also received a masters of arts in Jewish education. He is also an alumnus of the University of Baltimore.

Since I came to Congress in 2017, Rabbi Abraham has been a trusted friend and adviser for both my staff and me.

I call on all of us to heed the words offered in prayer by the rabbi. We must all humble ourselves to the wisdom of the Almighty, and let us always try to be a voice for the voiceless and serve with compassion and courage.

We face many challenges ahead, but with prayerfulness and good faith in one another, I know we can rise above the trials of today in search of a better tomorrow, all for the sake of our country.

Thank you again, Rabbi Abraham, for being a genuine leader and for being with us today.

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Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Our God and God of our ancestors, we stand before You in this sacred Hall to ask for Your blessings upon the Members of this House, the leaders of our country, and the citizens of this great Nation.
	May You bless our leaders with the wisdom to follow Your teachings; to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; to protect the widow, the orphan, and the stranger.
	May You bless our leaders with compassion to open both their hearts and their minds to places and ideas where they are currently closed.
	May You bless our leaders with the courage to do what is hard, to do what is unpopular, but to do what is right.
	Sovereign of the universe, continue to protect the men and women of our Armed Forces; watch over our elected officials; and continue to grant peace, freedom, and prosperity to the United States.

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Source(s)

116th Congress, 1st Session. Congressional Record, Issue: Vol. 165, No. 186 — Daily Edition (November 20, 2019)

link: https://chaplain.house.gov/archive/index.html?id=2974

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: Steven Abraham
  Bio: Rabbi Steven Abraham is the Rabbi of Beth El Synagogue in Omaha, Nebraska. Rabbi Abraham graduated from the rabbinical school at the Jewish Theological Seminary in May of 2011, where he also received a Masters of Arts in Jewish Education. Before attending JTS, the rabbi graduated from the University of Baltimore with a degree in Business Management. While in rabbinical school, Rabbi Abraham served as an intern at Congregation Beth Shalom in Chicago, as well as at Congregation Habonim in New York. For years, he was actively involved with USY, from his time as a participant in high school, to his service as a group leader for numerous summer programs, and in his current position as director of USY on Wheels.
  Website: http://rabbistevenabraham.com
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/steven-abraham

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