Prayer for Peace Celebration, by Lilian Helen Montagu

Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International

Date: 2022-08-26

Last Updated: 2025-03-27

Categories: Social Justice, Peace, and Liberty

Tags: 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., British Jewry, English vernacular prayer

Excerpt: This undated "Prayer for Peace Celebration" 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), p. 356. . . .

Content:

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	Almighty Father, As we unite with the Jews of all nations in the search for peace, we humbly ask Thee to make Thyself known to us. Help our country to overcome any desire for self aggrandisement and the fear that other people or nations may us.
	Let the spirit of understanding and cooperation inspire us. We would dedicate ourselves here and now to the achievement of freedom for ourselves and for the whole of humanity.
	As witnesses to the reality of Thy being, we would try in our imperfect human way to further the cause of righteousness and justice and truth and let these lead us to abiding peace.
	We would remove the feeling of hatred and the desire for vengeance from our hearts and recognise one another as Thy children.
	We thank Thee for life; let us use it in Thy service.
	Amen.

This undated “Prayer for Peace Celebration” 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), p. 356.

Source(s)

Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Co-authors:

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

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: Dove, Olive Branch, and Shalom
Caption: "Dove, Olive Branch, and Shalom" by Emily K. This image, made up only of fine single lines, is symbolic of Peace. The dove carries an olive branch that has enmeshed within it the word "שלום / Shalom" (peace).