Many synagogues these days include prayers for the State of IsraelLit. ''the one who struggles with God.'' Israel means many things. It is first used with reference to Jacob, whose name is changed to Israel (Genesis 32:29), the one who struggles with God. Jacob's children, the Jewish people, become B'nai Israel, the children of Israel. The name also refers to the land of Israel and the State of Israel.. And prayers for peace. And I have yet to hear a synagogue include a prayer for the Palestinian people. A people displaced from their land by Jews and many of whom still live under Israeli occupation. To be truly sincere in our pursuit of peace, I believe we must pray for all human beings, including Palestinians. May this prayer help open hearts and bring down walls of oppression for all humanity.
In the name of Elohim, the most merciful. May the Palestinian people receive the healing powers of our prayers. May they be granted safety, success, love, security, and hope. May they enjoy the fruits of freedom and equality that they—and all human beings—deserve.
As Jews, we pray for their well-being. We remember that the Holy Land is a shared space and pray to see the day when Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze, and all religions will live there together in peace.
We hope for the day when Palestinian refugees may return. We pray that together with their Jewish neighbors they can rehabilitate their history and rebuild what could be the best place on Earth. A place of many cultures and true equality.
We pray that Palestinians will be able to live lives free from violence and oppression. And we ask God to help us build bridges of peace with them.
יְהִי אוֹר; וַיְהִי-אוֹר
“Let there be light. And there was light.”
May we be the light that brings peace and hope to our Palestinian friends and to all the world. Amen.
3 Responses
As an ardent activist for justice for the Palestinian people (and Christian Minister) I want to thank you for the words – and sentiments – of this beautiful prayer.
Thank you for this wonderful prayer for Palestine. And for rightfully saying that it is a shared land. May governments stop this genocide and listen to the people who want only peace and liberation.
Thank you for this beautiful prayer. I am a flawed follower of Christ. This past Sunday our pastor, who is a very good man, asked us to pray for Israel. But as you wrote, there was no mention of the Palestinian people. The regular folks, like my wife and I, who simply want to raise our children and grandchildren, live in peace, and prosper as best we can.
So as my congregation prayed for Israel, I prayed for the Palestinian people as well. In fact all of us. I sincerely believe the awful violence and despair breaks God’s heart.
Thank you again.