[Prayer] for the Persecuted, by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=50608

Date: 2023-05-07

Last Updated: 2025-02-02

Categories: Social Justice, Peace, and Liberty

Tags: 19th century C.E., 57th century A.M., English vernacular prayer, Jewish Women's Prayers, teḥinot in English, West Central Girls' Club, תחינות teḥinot

Excerpt: "[Prayer] for the Persecuted" was written by Lilian Helen Montagu and published in Prayers for Jewish Working Girls (1895), pp. 31-32. . . .

Content:

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	For the Persecuted.
	O Lord, I belong to a race whom Thou hast kept alive unto this day by Thy peculiar favour. Thou wilt be pleased, O Lord, to preserve the children of Israel alive for ever if they remain faithful to the glorious Law, of which they are the guardians.
	Oh, do Thou look with compassion upon those who are being persecuted for their belief in Thee. Terrible it is to suffer at the hands of men who are blinded with ignorance and arrogance. O listen to the cry of the unhappy; save them, have mercy upon them!
	O Lord, to whatever faith they belong, deliver the persecuted! Save them from the faults that come from degradation; let them not become cunning, cowardly, and narrow-minded.
	Show the persecutors their sin. Teach them that all men who act righteously are equally pleasing unto Thee, whatever their religion may be.
	O Lord, accept my prayer and hasten the time when all people shall dwell together in love and friendliness.
	Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us? (Malachi 2:10)

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“[Prayer] for the Persecuted” was written by Lilian Helen Montagu and published in Prayers for Jewish Working Girls (1895), pp. 31-32.

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: for the persecuted (Lilian H. Montagu 1895) – cropped
Caption: for the persecuted (Lilian H. Montagu 1895) - cropped