Prayer of Parents for a Son or Daughter in the Armed Forces, by Rabbi Max Klein (1951)
Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=28006
open_content_license: Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication Date: 2019-11-08
Last Updated: 2025-02-10
Categories: Military Personnel & Veterans
Tags: 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., American Jewry of the United States, English vernacular prayer, military, Parents blessing children, teḥinot in English, תחינות teḥinot
Excerpt: A prayer offered for parents praying for the safety and welfare of their adult children entering the armed forces. . . .
Content:
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Our God and Father:
We commend to thy tender and loving care
the life of our son (daughter)
who is leaving (has gone)
to serve in the armed forces
of our beloved country.
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May he (she) who is leaving (has left) us
return to us in peace.
Keep him (her) strong in body and soul;
protect him (her) in the hours of trial and danger.
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May he (she) remember
the love of his (her) father and mother
whose prayers will accompany him (her)
every step of the way.
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May he (she) retain firm faith in thee.
Guide him (her) and all comrades in the service
with thy light
and may they be upborne by the hope
that they are helping to build a better world.
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Speed the day when war will be no more.
Speed the day when the tears of sorrow
will have been wiped away.
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Blessed art thou, O Lord,
whom we pray to hear our prayer.
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אָמֵן׃
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Amen.
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“Prayer of Parents for Son or Daughter in the Armed Forces” appears on page 630 of Seder Avodah Tefilot l’Shabbat, l’Shalosh Regalim, u’l’Ḥol (1951), the Shabbat and Festivals prayerbook by Rabbi Max Klein.
Source(s)
Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)
Co-authors:
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Name: Max D. Klein
Bio: Rabbi Max Klein was born in New York City in 1885 and was ordained by the Jewish Theological Seminary in 1911. Soon afterward, he began serving as rabbi for Congregation Adath Jeshurun in Philadelphia. Formerly a Reform synagogue, under Rabbi Klein's leadership it became one of the initial congregations affiliated with the United Synagogue of America (now called the United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism). In addition to serving as rabbi at Adath Jeshurun in Philadelphia until 1960, Rabbi Klein wrote, edited, and translated two prayer books: Seder Avodah for Sabbath, Festivals, and Weekdays (1951) and Seder Avodah for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (1960). He died in 1973.
Website:
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/meir-david-klein
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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
Featured Image:
Title: Jewish servicemen and women celebrate Passover by David I. Cederbaum (Center for Jewish History, c. 1945)
Caption: "Jewish servicemen and women celebrate Passover" (credit: David I. Cederbaum, repository: Center for Jewish History, circa 1945, no copyright restrictions)
