Invocation for Temple Meeting, by Rabbi Morrison David Bial (1962)

Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license

Date: 2022-09-08

Last Updated: 2024-12-17

Categories: Congregation & Community

Tags: 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., English vernacular prayer, Invocation, Synagogues

Excerpt: "Invocation for Temple Meeting" by Rabbi Morrison David Bial was first published in his anthology, An Offering of Prayer (1962), p. 69, from where this prayer was transcribed. . . .

Content:

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	O Lord: We stand in hushed silence for a moment and turn our hearts inward to offer our thanks for Thy blessings and our prayer for the future.
	Much have we received from Thee, O Lord, and we are grateful:
	For our loved ones who are the center and meaning of our lives.
	Our Temple which is the fulcrum of our religious lives and a source of hope and betterment for our community.
	For the devoted men and women who have given of themselves freely and loyally to build a house of worship and fellowship dedicated to Thy service; who in the spirit of brotherhood and cooperation created this sanctuary as a beating heart to pulse forth its currents of faith, trust and love.
	For all these we speak our gratitude and pray that we may be given ardor and strength so as to merit Thy continued blessing.
	Amen.

“Invocation for Temple Meeting” by Rabbi Morrison David Bial was first published in his anthology, An Offering of Prayer (1962), p. 69, from where this prayer was transcribed.

Source(s)

Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Co-authors:

Name: Morrison David Bial
Bio: Born in New York in 1917, Morrison David Bial studied at Princeton Theological Seminary, served as a chaplain at Mitchell Field during World War II, and was ordained from the Jewish Institute of Religion in 1945. Rabbi Bial spoke from pulpits in the United States as well as in Dublin, Glasgow, and London. He led a number of tours to Israel, and published thirteen books, including The Rabbi’s Bible: Torah and The Rabbi’s Bible: Prophets (began in 1966, co-authored with Solomon Simon), Liberal Judaism at Home: the Practices of Modern Reform Judaism (1971), and Your Jewish Child (1978). Rabbi Bial spent over thirty years serving Temple Sinai in Summit, New Jersey, from 1953 until he became Rabbi Emeritus in 1985. From 1985–1995, Rabbi Bial joined Temple Beth Shalom in Ocala, Florida, revitalizing its interfaith movement, and served as Rabbi Emeritus until his death in 2004.
Website:
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/morrison-david-bial

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