Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Meyer Heschl Leifer on 11 February 1965

Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=54099

Date: 2024-02-05

Last Updated: 2024-06-01

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

Tags: 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., 89th Congress, Containment, English vernacular prayer, Prayers of Guest Chaplains, U.S. House of Representatives, תחינות teḥinot

Excerpt: The Opening Prayer given in the U.S. House of Representatives on 11 February 1965. . . .

Content:

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Meyer H. Leifer, Congregation Emunath Israel, New York City, New York
Date of Prayer: 11 February 1965
Sponsor: n/a

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
אבינו שבּשמים	Our Heavenly Father, we seek Thy blessing and guidance in these serious and soul-stirring times, when freedom-loving America which is founded upon liberty and justice for all, is being threatened by the onslaught of godless, ruthless, and unprincipled aggressors.[1] A familiar anti-communist posture expressing alignment with the United States foreign policy of ‘containment.'
	While we must develop superior military might, we must also be filled with Thy Holy Spirit to preserve the superiority of our democratic way of living.
	Bless Thou, O Lord, our glorious land of liberty, our leaders, the President of our United States, and the Representatives. Endow them with understanding to guide America to continue to be a citadel of freedom and ray of light and hope to all those who are now living in darkness.
	Hasten the day when universal peace will prevail throughout the world with freedom and justice for all. Amen.

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This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the second month of the first session of the 89th US Congress in the House of Representatives, and published in the Congressional Record, vol. 111, part 2 (11 February 1965), page 2645.

Source(s)

Congressional Record, vol. 111, part 2 (11 February 1965), p. 2645

 

Notes[+]

Notes

1	A familiar anti-communist posture expressing alignment with the United States foreign policy of ‘containment.'

Contributor: Meyer Heschl Leifer

Co-authors:

• 
  Name: Meyer Heschl Leifer
  Bio: Rabbi Cantor Meyer Heschl Leifer (1932-), born in the Lower East Side, served as rabbi of Congregation Emunath Israel (the Chelsea Shul) for over four decades (1958-2000). His album, Songs of Our People was released in 1970. His oral history was recorded by the Yiddish Book Center in 2019.
  Website:
  Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/meyer-heschl-leifer
• 
  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

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