A Prayer for the United Nations, by Lilian Helen Montagu
Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=46347
open_content_license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license date_src_start: 1902-00-00 date_src_end: 1963-00-00 languages_meta: [{"name":"English","code":"eng","standard":"ISO 639-3"}] scripts_meta: [{"name":"Latin","code":"Latn","standard":"ISO 15924"}] Date: 2022-08-26
Last Updated: 2025-04-11
Categories: 🇺🇳 United Nations, 🌐 United Nations Day (October 24th)
Tags: 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., British Jewry, English vernacular prayer
Excerpt: This undated "Prayer for the United Nations" by the Hon. Lily H. Montagu (1873-1963) from the archives of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, London, was published in, Lily Montagu: Sermons, Addresses, Letters, and Prayers (ed. Ellen M. Umansky, 1985), pp. 357-358. . . .
Content:
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Gracious God,
who art the Father of all people
from everlasting to everlasting;
suffer us not
to turn aside from Thy guidance
in the troublous times that afflict us.
Look with compassion upon Thy warring children.
Impel us, we pray,
to build bridges of understanding
across age-old hatreds and seething strife.
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Grant renewed strength and insight, O God,
to all who seek world peace through the United Nations.
Bless those international servants
who have dedicated themselves
to work in council halls
and on far flung missions,
that the curse of war shall not again
scourge the human race.
Spur us to further the efforts of the United Nations
to feed the hungry,
to clothe the naked,
to heal the sick,
to teach Thy children everywhere
how to live a more abundant life.
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Strike from the hearts of us
and of all people,
we beseech Thee,
fear
and self-righteousness
and pride.
Direct us
in our own beloved and mighty land
to have mercy
and to walk humbly before Thee.
Show Thy children,
while there is yet time,
how to live together
in hope and peace
all their days.
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Amen.
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This undated “Prayer for the United Nations” by the Hon. Lily H. Montagu (1873-1963) from the archives of the Liberal Jewish Synagogue, London, was published in, Lily Montagu: Sermons, Addresses, Letters, and Prayers (ed. Ellen M. Umansky, 1985), pp. 357-358.
Source(s)
Lily Montagu: sermons, addresses, letters, and prayers – Religious Leadership – p. 357
Lily Montagu: sermons, addresses, letters, and prayers – Religious Leadership – p. 358
Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Co-authors:
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Name: Lilian Helen Montagu
Bio: The Hon. Lilian Helen "Lily" Montagu, CBE (22 December 1873 – 22 January 1963) was the first woman to play a major role in Progressive Judaism. Until the age of 15, she was educated at Doreck College, and privately educated thereafter. In 1893 she founded with Emily Marion Harris the West Central Jewish Girls Club (which subsequently merged into the Jewish Girls' Brigade). She was active in social improvement, particularly in respect to unemployment, sweat shops and bad housing. In 1901 and 1902, Montagu laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Jewish Religious Union in London. In February 1902 she arranged the first meeting of the Jewish Religious Union for the Advancement of Liberal Judaism at her sister Henrietta Franklin's house. The Union set up the first synagogue in Liberal Judaism in the UK and helped found the World Union for Progressive Judaism. Montagu was a founding member with her sister of the Jewish League for Woman Suffrage. She sat on the executive committee and led the meetings in prayer. Following the retirement of Leo Baeck, Montagu served for a brief stint (1955–1959) in her 80s as president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism, before handing the reins over to Solomon Freehof.
Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_Montagu
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/lilian-helen-montagu
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Name: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Bio: Aharon Varady (M.A.J.Ed./JTSA Davidson) is a volunteer transcriber for the Open Siddur Project. If you find any mistakes in his transcriptions, please let him know. Shgiyot mi yavin; Ministarot naqeni שְׁגִיאוֹת מִי־יָבִין; מִנִּסְתָּרוֹת נַקֵּנִי "Who can know all one's flaws? From hidden errors, correct me" (Psalms 19:13). If you'd like to directly support his work, please consider donating via his Patreon account. (Varady also translates prayers and contributes his own original work besides serving as the primary shammes of the Open Siddur Project and its website, opensiddur.org.)
Website: https://aharon.varady.net
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/aharon-varady-transcription
Featured Image:
Title: 1920px-Flag_of_the_United_Nations.svg
Caption: Flag of the United Nations
