Prayer of the Guest Chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives: Rabbi Arthur Schneier on 16 June 1958
Source Link: https://opensiddur.org/?p=57000
open_content_license: Creative Commons Zero (CC 0) Universal license a Public Domain dedication Date: 2024-06-20
Last Updated: 2024-06-20
Categories: Opening Prayers for Legislative Bodies, United States of America
Tags: 20th century C.E., 58th century A.M., 85th 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 16 June 1958. . . .
Content:
Guest Chaplain: Rabbi Arthur Schneier, M.A., Congregation B’nai Jacob, Brooklyn, New York
Sponsor: n/a
Date of Prayer: 16 June 1958
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Our God and God of our fathers:
As we start our day of deliberation and decision,
we pray Thee, lend us Thine aid.
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In an interdependent world,
may we know that decisions formulated in this Chamber
affect man at most distant parts on earth.
May we, therefore, not draw the shades to the feelings and needs
of those who have commissioned us
as pathfinders in the maze of a divided world.
May we always remember
that this Chamber must not become an ivory tower,
isolated from the masses we represent.
It must stand as a bastion of strength
and a beacon of light
for a bewildered humanity.
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O Lord,
let us remember
that only through the daily renewal
of our covenant with Thee
can we hope to enjoy,
in peace and prosperity,
the fruit of our land.
Amen.
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This prayer of the guest chaplain was offered in the sixth month of the second session of the 85th US House of Representatives, and published in the Congressional Record, vol. 104 part 9 (16 June 1958), page 11351.
Source(s)
Congressional Record, vol. 104, part 9 (16 June 1958), p. 11351
Contributor: Aharon N. Varady (editing/transcription)
Co-authors:
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Name: Aharon N. Varady (editing/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
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Name: Arthur Schneier
Bio: Rabbi Arthur Schneier (born March 20, 1930) is an Austrian-American rabbi and human rights activist. Rabbi Schneier has served for over 50 years as the Senior Rabbi of New York City’s Park East Synagogue. While being honored with the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Bill Clinton in 2001, Rabbi Schneier was described as “a Holocaust survivor who has devoted a lifetime to overcoming forces of hatred and intolerance and set an inspiring example of spiritual leadership by encouraging interfaith dialog and intercultural understanding, as well as promoting the cause of religious freedom around the world.”
Website: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Schneier
Profile Link: https://opensiddur.org/profile/arthur-schneier
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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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