My rabbi, Serge Lippe, sent this prayer, written by Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman of Kol HaNeshama, Jerusalem. He suggests reading it churches, mosques, or synagogues:<\/p>\n
If there has ever been a place forsaken, Gaza is that place.
\nLord who is the creator of all children, hear our prayer this accursed day. God whom we call Blessed, turn your face to these, the children of Gaza, that they may know your blessings, and your shelter, that they may know light and warmth, where there is now only blackness and smoke, and a cold which cuts and clenches the skin.
\nAlmighty who makes exceptions, which we call miracles, make an exception of the children of Gaza. Shield them from us and from their own. Spare them. Heal them. Let them stand in safety. Deliver them from hunger and horror and fury and grief. Deliver them from us, and from their own.
\nRestore to them their stolen childhoods, their birthright, which is a taste of heaven.
\nRemind us, O Lord, of the child Ishmael, who is the father of all the children of Gaza. How the child Ishmael was without water and left for dead in the wilderness of Beer-Sheba, so robbed of all hope, that his own mother could not bear to watch his life drain away.
\nBe that Lord, the God of our kinsman Ishmael, who heard his cry and sent His angel to comfort his mother Hagar.
\nBe that Lord, who was with Ishmael that day, and all the days after. Be that God, the All-Merciful, who opened Hagar’s eyes that day, and showed her the well of water, that she could give the boy Ishmael to drink, and save his life.
\nAllah, whose name we call Elohim, who gives life, who knows the value and the fragility of every life, send these children your angels. Save them, the children of this place, Gaza the most beautiful, and Gaza the damned.
\nIn this day, when the trepidation and rage and mourning that is called war, seizes our hearts and patches them in scars, we call to you, the Lord whose name is Peace:
\nBless these children, and keep them from harm.
\nTurn Your face toward them, O Lord. Show them, as if for the first time, light and kindness, and overwhelming graciousness.
\nLook up at them, O Lord. Let them see your face.
\nAnd, as if for the first time, grant them peace.<\/p><\/blockquote>\nIt’s a beautiful prayer and I love the idea of Jews praying for innocent Muslims children. But as I said it, I also kept thinking: what about innocent adult<\/em> women and men in Gaza? Regardless of what one thinks about the causes of the war, I think we can all agree that there are innocent adults being killed or injured too?
\nHas anyone come across a prayer that reaches a bit more broadly?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"My rabbi, Serge Lippe, sent this prayer, written by Rabbi Levi Weiman-Kelman of Kol HaNeshama, Jerusalem. He suggests reading it churches, mosques, or synagogues: If there has ever been a place forsaken, Gaza is that place. Lord who is the creator of all children, hear our prayer this accursed day. God whom we call Blessed,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-647","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n
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