Prayer Wall

So much chatter about Israel attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities this week raises questions and concerns as we affirm our commitment to Israel’s safety and security. The news is filled with so much unrest around the world, while our elected leaders and some charitable organizations pronounce policies that stir passionate debate. Again this week, our lives require the rest and renewal of this Shabbat. Mindful of many things, personal and global, this Shabbat we are thankful for the blessings of our lives and grateful for the challenges we face. We pray that our families and friends, the Jewish people and all of humanity may know blessings of goodness, life, and peace. Amen

AS A KID, SITTING IN SHUL WITH MY FATHER AND MY ZAIDIE, I WAS FASCINATED BY THE WORDS OF THE UN'TANEH TOKEF PRAYER. THE IDEA OF ALL MANKIND PASSING BEFORE GOD, AND BEING JUDGED EACH YEAR FOR INCLUSION IN THE BOOK OF LIFE IS PRETTY HEADY STUFF FOR A 10 YEAR OLD. NOW I'M THE ZAIDIE, AND TRUST ME, IT'S EVEN MORE HEADY. WITH THAT IN MIND, AS I STAND BEFORE YOU, GOD, TONIGHT TO EXPRESS MY PERSONAL KAVANAH, MY FIRST THOUGHTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN, AND ALWAYS WILL BE FOR MY FAMILY. EACH ONE OF US HAS HAD HIS OR HER OWN STRUGGLE BUT WITH THE LOVE AND STRENGTH OF OUR INCREDIBLE FAMILY, EACH HAS BEEN FORTUNATE TO COME THROUGH NOT MERELY UNSCATHED, BUT ACTUALLY STRONGER AND MORE APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT WE ARE AS A FAMILY.FOR THOSE BLESSINGS WE GIVE THANKS TO YOU, AND ASK FOR THE CONTINUED KINDNESS, MERCY AND COMPASSION THAT YOU HAVE BESTOWED ON OUR FAMILY. GUARD US, GUIDE US AND PROTECT US. BUT, FOR SO MANY IN THE WORLD TODAY THE WORDS OF THE UN'TANEH TOKEF PRAYER,"WHO SHALL LIVE AND WHO SHALL DIE; WHO BY WATER AND WHO BY FIRE; WHO BY SWORD AND WHO BY BEAST; WHO BY FAMINE, AND WHO BY THIRST; WHO BY STORM AND WHO BY PLAGUE" HAVE REAL MEANING AND ARE NOT MERELY WORDS IN A PRAYER TO BE PERFUNCTORILY READ AND SPOKEN. I COME BEFORE YOU, GOD, TONIGHT TO ASK, IN THE SPIRIT OF TIKKUN OLAM, ON BEHALF OF THOSE ALL OVER THE WORLD NOT AS FORTUNATE AS OUR FAMILY, FOR THE STRENGTH TO DEAL WITH WHAT IT MEANS SIMPLY TO LIVE AND PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES EACH AND EVERY DAY. GUARD THEM, GUIDE THEM AND PROTECT THEM. THE UN'TANEH TOKEF PRAYER GOES ON: "WHO WILL BE DEGRADED AND WHO WILL BE EXALTED". IN THE HOPE THAT IT CAN LEAD TO EXALTATION AND NOT FURTHER DEGRADATION, PLEASE GIVE TO OUR ELECTED LEADERS, THE STRENGTH, WISDOM AND COURAGE TO PERFORM THE ROLES TO WHICH THEY WERE ELECTED; NOT TO PANDER TO IDEALOGUES OR TO GET THEMSELVES RE-ELECTED, BUT TO ACT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CITIZENS WHO ELECTED THEM. OR, IN THE WORDS OF A ONCE AGAIN JEWISH PHILOSOPHER, SHABTAI ZISEL BEN AVRAHAM, BETTER KNOWN TO US AS BOB DYLAN: "COME SENATORS AND CONGRESSMEN; PLEASE HEED THE CALL; DON'T STAND IN THE DOORWAY; DON'T BLOCK UP THE HALL; FOR HE WHO GETS HURT; WILL BE HE WHO HAS STALLED." GUARD THEM, GUIDE THEM AND PROTECT THEM. SO, WITH ONLY 24 HOURS OR SO BEFORE WE CONCLUDE THE NE'ILAH SERVICE, THE END OF YOM KIPPUR, PLEASE ACCEPT OUR PRAYERS AND GRANT TO US AND ALL OF ISRAEL, A YEAR OF HEALTH, A YEAR OF GOOD AND A YEAR IN WHICH WE LIVE UP TO ALL THAT YOU REQUIRE OF US AND, PERHAPS EQUALLY AS IMPORTANT, ALL THAT WE SHOULD EXPECT OF OURSELVES. AMEN

This Yom Kippur, seeking teshuvah and goodness, we bring to mind the circumstances of our lives and the condition of our world. As we remember the year gone by, observing this sacred day motivates us to fill the days of this New Year with deeper awareness and gratitude. Today we turn within, seeking to be honest with ourselves in God’s presence. Where ought we change? How may we grow? What shall we renew? Teshuvah, return and repentance are our purpose. Selihah, forgiveness and reconciliation are our goal. We pray sincerely and humbly. When we return to life’s events and routines, may we bring goodness and love. Thankful for the many blessings of our lives and grateful for the challenges we face, we pray that the worthy desires of our hearts be fulfilled. In loving kindness, may our iniquities be pardoned. May we each be remembered for good and for life, endowed with health and vigor, living a year of achievement and serenity. We pray that our families and friends, the Jewish people and all of humanity may know blessings of goodness, life, and peace. Amen.

We say in the Amidah, “Open my lips and I will speak your praise. Open my heart to your Torah and I will do Your mitzvot.” This is our prayer: May God bless us with Abraham’s vision, with Isaac’s independence, and with Jacob’s willingness to wrestle with difficult questions. As God blessed our patriarchs, may God bless us with loyalty, leadership, and faith. May God bless us with Sarah’s laughter, with Rebecca’s kindness, with Rachel’s love, and with Leah’s wisdom. As God blessed our matriarchs, may God bless us with strength, gratitude, righteousness, and determination. Eternal, with your blessings, our ancestors built a nation. And with your blessings, generations have carried on our traditions. May we, who are so blessed, share our blessings within our community and throughout the world. Amen.

We are so excited to be writing our 140th anniversary Torah Scroll because the Torah is an actual reflection of God. When we write a Torah letter God’s presence flows through our hands. We connect to those who wrote and read Torah before us, we connect to those who gave Torah to us, and we connect to those whom we will pass the Torah to next. In our new Torah we will find inspiration as we read and study its words, as we celebrate precious moments in our lives, and as we dedicate ourselves to all that Torah represents to the Jewish people in every generation. V’zot haTorah: and this is the Torah that Moses set before the people of Israel, the Torah given by God through Moses’ hand. V’zot haTorah: and this will be our Torah, set before Chizuk Amuno Congregation, the Torah given by God through each of our hands.