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Healing from Illness

Person lying on a bed in a dimly lit room, facing a window with sheer curtains.

While there are many traditional Jewish prayers for healing, the feminist movement empowered first women and then men and women to create many more prayers and ceremonies which spoke to the specific situations in which they found themselves. The complexity of modern medicine has added to this need for prayers for medical tests, prayers before surgery, prayers after chemotherapy and for each chemo session, etc. In addition, several writers on Ritualwell have created ceremonies to celebrate an important anniversary in relationship to their disease. 

 

Latest Rituals

“God of creation, / I come before You / to offer thanks for my scars”
silhouette of person standing with arms spread out in front of the sea at sunset. the sky is multicolored with oranges and yellows and reddish purples and some clouds.
Poem of gratitude on healing from illness with the support of a partner
light skinned man with short brown beard with arm around woman in black shirt with short brown hair shown from the back
“Blessings cannot be static; / Blessings need to be in motion”
mountains in dark with purple sky and lines of white light scattered throughout
“Binder of wounds, / Open me to / Unplanned wonder”
light brown skinned person with eyes closed and white shirt on and beige sun hat with head slightly lifted looking peaceful before light blue sky and clouds
“Is it selfish of me to ask / That she not be in pain?”
closeup of white arm with an IV in it in a hospital bed with person standing near bed
“We invoke the energy of the universe and express our gratitude for our health and wellbeing”
woman's white hand outstretched in golden field of wheat with circle of light surrounding
“However we have abused ourselves or others, something within us remains pure”
a woman places her hand on her heart
Prayer for the journey of chemotherapy and the light which is carried within it
A medical professional assists a patient during a mammogram examination.
“To see each member of our community / With clear eyes and an open heart”  
A man stands on a rocky pier, facing a lake with large mountains in the background under a cloudy sky.
“We are each created in the image of sacred divinity and worthy of honor”
Woman smiling at her reflection in a mirror placed on grass with white flowers.

The Reconstructionist Network

Serving as central organization of the Reconstructionist movement

Training the next generation of groundbreaking rabbis

Modeling respectful conversations on pressing Jewish issues

Curating original, Jewish rituals, and convening Jewish creatives

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The Reconstructionist Network