Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. Senate: Rabbi Norman Geller on 11 April 1989

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=47646

Date: 2022-11-26

Last Updated: 2025-03-23

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

Tags: 101st Congress, 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., English vernacular prayer, Prayers of Guest Chaplains, U.S. Senate, תחינות teḥinot

Excerpt: The Opening Prayer given in the U.S. Senate on 11 April 1989. . . .

Content:

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Norman Geller, Congregation Beth Abraham, Auburn, Maine
Date of Prayer: 11 April 1989
Sponsor: Sen. Bill Cohen (R-ME) and Sen. George Mitchell (D-ME)

Mr. President, to me, one of the Senate’s most enjoyable rituals is to begin each session with a few words of prayer to help us in times of adversity and to further encourage us in times of prosperity. On most occasions, we are fortunate to hear words of spiritual awareness from our Senate Chaplain, the very able Dr. Richard Halverson. From time to time, however, we also have religious leaders from around the country serve as chaplain of the day. Today, I am very pleased to sponsor Rabbi Norman Geller of Congregation Beth Abraham in Auburn, Maine. As Senator Mitchell indicated he is a good friend of both of us. We are delighted to welcome the rabbi and his wife, Ros, to the Senate today. I would also like to mention that Norman and Ros have three lovely children: Rachel, Anne, and David. Mr. President, you have just heard Rabbi Geller’s eloquent words to start our session, and I will just add a few words of my own. Few people embody the religious tradition of commitment and service more than Norman Geller. He defies easy classification, but can truly be called a man for all seasons. He runs a large temple, recently started a school for troubled children, and is a speech pathology expert at a Lewiston, Maine, hospital. He is a spiritual leader, a scholar, a teacher, a counselor, an author, and a poet. He combines thought with action in the highest traditions of commitment to his fellow citizens. Mr. President, I know I speak for Senator Mitchell, myself, and the people of Maine. We are grateful to Rabbi Geller for sharing his words with us today, words from which I know all Senators will benefit.

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Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	We gather here under the professed concept of a nation indivisible.
	Differing opinions, but indivisible in our zeal for truth, justice, mercy, peace, and our system of government.
	Different backgrounds, but indivisible in our choice of a homeland, a safe and caring harbor where each human being has a place and an identity.
	Different religious expressions, but indivisible in our acknowledgment of a Supreme Being whose teachings are not only the foundation, but also the framework and superstructure of the American way.
	May God continually look with favor on this great country.
	May God’s wisdom abound in the Senate and all our legislative, administrative, and judicial bodies.
	May we continually recognize and acknowledge that we are each other’s keeper[1] Cf. Genesis 4:9.   and that we should indeed love our neighbor as we love ourselves.[2] Cf. Leviticus 19:18.
	God blessed, God blesses, and collectively may our actions continually assure that God will always bless America. Amen.

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Source(s)

101st Congress, 1st Session. C-SPAN.
Congressional Record, Vol. 135, Part 5 — Bound Edition, p. 14316.

Congressional Record v. 135, part 5 – 11 April 1989. p. 5947

 

Notes

Notes

1	Cf. Genesis 4:9.
2	Cf. Leviticus 19:18.

Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

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: Norman Geller
  Bio: Norman Geller (1935-1992) was an author of juvenile fiction, an aviator, a speech pathologist, and a rabbi serving Congregation Beth Abraham in Auburn, Maine. He wrote the following: The first seven days: a poem (1983), David's Seder (1983), Talk to God. . . I'll Get the Message (1984), "I don't want to visit Grandma Anymore (1984), Color me: kosher for Passover (1985), It's not the Jewish Christmas (1985), Unto dust you shall return: a story explaining cremation (1986), The Last Teenage Suicide (1987), and Farfel the Cat That Left Egypt (1987).
  Website:
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/norman-geller
• 
  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

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Title: Flag_of_the_United_States_Senate.svg
Caption: Flag of the United States Senate