From Our Foremothers

We pray that _______ draws inspiration from the examples of her foremothers;
From Eve the hope to choose life and sustain it after Paradise was lost;
From Noah’s wife the nurturing qualities and patience to be a steward for earth’s creatures;
From Sarah the faith to follow a dream into wilderness and to believe the impossible is possible;
From Rebecca the wisdom to overcome the dead hand of custom;
From Leah endurance and perseverance in the face of loneliness;
From Rachel the compassion and love for her sister that spared Leah pain and anguish;
From Dina the ability to take risks to break out of confinement to seek friendship with other women;
From the midwives Shifrah and Puah the courage to defy death to rescue the next generation;
From Miriam the ability to be outspoken in her views even when they are unpopular;
From Deborah the self-esteem that enabled her to rally and lead resistance and to take pride in her achievements;
And from Ya’el the courage to do what she knows she must do.