A Prayer in the Aftermath of a Devastating Storm, by Rabbi Menachem Creditor (2012)
Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=5389
open_content_license: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International copyleft license date_src_start: 2012-11-02 date_src_end: 2012-11-02 languages_meta: [{"name":"English","code":"eng","standard":"ISO 639-3"}] scripts_meta: [{"name":"Latin","code":"Latn","standard":"ISO 15924"}] Date: 2012-11-02
Last Updated: 2025-04-11
Categories: Dangerous Storms & Floods
Tags: 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., disaster, emergency, English vernacular prayer, Hurricane Sandy, storm, weather, תחינות teḥinot
Excerpt: Fixated as we are by incalculable losses in our families, our neighbors, human beings spanning national borders, we are pummeled into shock, barely even able to call out to You. We are, as ever, called to share bread with the hungry, to take those who suffer into our homes, to clothe the naked, to not ignore our sisters and brothers. Many more of our brothers and sisters are hungry, homeless, cold, and vulnerable today than were just a few days ago, and we need Your Help. . . .
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אלהי הרוחות
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Elohei haRuchot, God of the Winds,
Fixated as we are by incalculable losses in our families, our neighbors,
human beings spanning national borders,
we are pummeled into shock, barely even able to call out to You.
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We are, as ever, called to share bread with the hungry,
to take those who suffer into our homes,
to clothe the naked,
to not ignore our sisters and brothers.
Many more of our brothers and sisters
are hungry, homeless, cold, and vulnerable today
than [they] were just a few days ago,
and we need Your Help.
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We pray from the depths of our souls
and we pray with the toil of our bodies
for healing in the face of devastation.
We join our voices in prayer
to the prayers of others around the world
and cry out for safety.
We look to the sacred wells of human resilience and compassion
and ask You for even more strength and hope.
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God, open our hearts
to generously support those determined to undo this chaos.
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God, be with us
as we utilize every network at our disposal
to support each other.
Be with First Responders engaged in the work of rescue
as they cradle lives new and old,
sheltering our souls and bodies from the storm.
Be with us and be with them, God.
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Be with those awaiting news from loved ones,
reeling from fire, water and wind
that have crippled cities, decimated villages,
and taken lives.
Be with all of us, God.
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Be with us God,
comfort us, and support us
as we rebuild that which has been lost.
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May all this be Your will.
Amen.
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Rabbi Menachem Creditor first published this prayer on his website, “in recognition of the holy work of the American Red Cross.”
Contributor: Menachem Creditor
Co-authors:
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Name: Menachem Creditor
Bio: Rabbi Menachem Creditor serves as the Pearl and Ira Meyer Scholar in Residence at UJA-Federation New York and was the founder of Rabbis Against Gun Violence. A frequent speaker in communities and campuses around the United States and Israel with over 1 million views of his online videos and essays, he was named by Newsweek as one of the fifty most influential rabbis in America. His 22 books and 6 albums of original music include the global anthem "Olam Chesed Yibaneh" and the anthologies "When We Turned Within" and "None Shall Make Them Afraid." He has been involved in the leadership of American Jewish World Service, AIPAC, the Rabbinical Assembly, and the One America Movement, an organization dedicated to bringing together Americans of different faiths and opinions. He and his wife Neshama Carlebach live in New York, where they are raising their five children.
Website: http://rabbicreditor.blogspot.com
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/menachem-creditor
Featured Image:
Title: Deli with Generator and Crowd by mlcastle (CC-BY-SA)
Caption: "Deli with Generator and Crowd" (Credit: mlcastle, License: CC-BY-SA 2.0)