Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Alfred Cohen on 24 June 1969

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Date: 2024-06-16

Last Updated: 2025-02-18

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

Tags: 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., 91st Congress, 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 24 June 1969. . . .

Content:

Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Alfred Cohen, Young Israel of Canarsie, Brooklyn, New York
Sponsor: n/a
Date of Prayer: 24 June 1969

Contribute a translation	Source (English)
	How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. (Psalms 133:1)
	Our Father in Heaven, source of all goodness and truth, cause Thy countenance to shine upon us, that we may be able to follow the path of righteousness. Give us strength to champion the cause of justice and to act with loving-kindness to all men.
	May it be Thy will that all men be united for good, that suffering and evil be stricken from the face of this earth, and that all your creatures live in peace, harmony, and tranquillity.
	Bestow Thy blessing of wisdom upon our President and Vice President and upon the Members of this august body. Let their deliberations bring glory to this wonderful land; may they serve as a beacon of light for others, illuminating their path, standing as a source of strength for those who may falter or fall.
	Grant them success in their endeavors. Let peace prevail, and grant an abundance of joy and contentment in the hearts of all our brethren, that they may praise Thy name for evermore. Amen.

This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the sixth month of the first session of the 91st US House of Representatives, and published in the Congressional Record, vol. 115, part 13 (23 June 1969), page 17014.

Source(s)

Congressional Record, vol. 115, part 13 (24 June 1969), p. 17014

Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (transcription)

Co-authors:

Name: Alfred Cohen
Bio: Rabbi Alfred Cohen, maggid shiur at MTA, received semikhah from Rabbi Yisrael Gustman and from Rabbi Hutner of Mesivta Rabbi Chaim Berlin and served for many years as the mora d'asra (leader of the congregation) of the Young Israel of Canarsie.
Website:
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/alfred-cohen

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

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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