A Prayer for Girls entering Domestic Service, by Lilian Helen Montagu (1895)
Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=50625
open_content_license: Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication Date: 2023-05-07
Last Updated: 2025-03-29
Categories: Labor, Fulfillment, and Parnasah
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: "A Prayer for Girls entering Domestic Service" was written by Lilian Helen Montagu and published in Prayers for Jewish Working Girls (1895), page 24. . . .
Content:
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A prayer for girls entering domestic service.
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O Lord,—
It is my privilege to be about to undertake
some of the highest duties possible to a woman,
and it is with a heart full of thanksgiving
that I approach Thee to-day.
I shall be able to minister
to the comfort and wellbeing,
of a number of people;
by good work I may help
to render life more easy for others.
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O Lord,
give me strength to do my duty.
If I serve my mistress well
I feel that I shall be serving Thee.
Help me to bear difficulties;
grant that I may not be discouraged
by a few hard words
and slight disappointments.
Grant that I may be respectful
to those in authority over me;
good-tempered and gentle
with my fellow-servants.
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Help me to be truthful, honest, and industrious,
and then I shall never be ashamed.
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Teach me every night and every morning
to remember my duty unto Thee.
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Be Thou with me at all times.
Then difficulties will disappear from my path,
and I shall rejoice and not be afraid.
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By slothfulness the roof sinketh in,
and through idleness of the hands
the house leaketh. (Ecclesiastes 8:10)
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Uphold me with a willing spirit. (Psalms 51:12)
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“A Prayer for Girls entering Domestic Service” was written by Lilian Helen Montagu and published in Prayers for Jewish Working Girls (1895), page 24.
Source(s)
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
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Title: a prayer for girls entering domestic service (Lilian H. Montagu 1895) – cropped
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