Thursday, March 26, 2015

Opening Prayer for Temple Beth-El Las Cruces Board Meeting - March 26, 2015 - As we approach Passover 5775


Eternal God, Author of Liberty,
Be with us as we approach the season of Pesach.
During CHAG HAPESACH, the Feast of Passover, remind us of our humble beginnings and how our ancient and more recent ancestors passed from places of prejudice to lands that offered more freedoms than ever before, freedoms that we must continue to appreciate, defend and never take for granted.
During CHAG HAMATZOT, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, enable us to see that we can get by, survive and thrive at any moment when we have everything we need, but not necessarily everything we want.  May the prayer in the Passover Haggadah inspire us to open our hands and hearts when it says, “Let all who are hungry come and eat,” so that those in need can eventually provide for themselves.
During CHAG HAAVIV, the Feast of Spring, may the renewal of the earth at this time of year lead us to renew our spirits and vision, opening our minds to new ideas, especially to the possibility that we are at one not just with nature, but with all human beings, with whom we can enjoy mutual consideration and respect if we only try.
During this Z’MAN SIMCHATEINU, this time of our liberation, broaden the scope of our attention to see where people who live among us and other citizens of the world are not yet free, so that we can do all that we can to help them experience the freedom that we enjoy.

God of all of the generations of our people and of all humanity, teach us to see ourselves as if we went free out of Egypt, so that we can feel what it was like to walk alongside our liberated ancestors and so that our lives and our actions will proclaim freedom and justice in our congregation, in our community, and for all humankind. Amen.

No comments:

Post a Comment