Daily Minyan - A Circle of Salvation and Love - for the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington - August 28, 2023

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The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah

August 28, 2023

For the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington 

Eternal One,

Soul of the Universe, 

Infuse us with the light of holiness 

That will reveal to us

The miracle of each sunrise, 

The awe embodied in each sunset, 

The possibility of waking up to Your vision for us

So that we will see ourselves and all members of the human family 

as part of the intricate connections within nature

A shared network of relationships 

Which can inspire us to fill our days with 

Cooperation 

Coordinated action

Confession and commemoration 

of past missteps and tragedies  

from which we can learn

And triumphs upon which we can build. 

You challenge us to fill this world with hope

With our efforts grounded in honesty and mutual respect

Which can lead us to reach out to each other 

With a sense of resolve and tenacity 

In a spirit of solidarity that transcends  

Divisions of our own creation. 

We praise You, whose Oneness draws us together 

In a circle of salvation and love. 

Invocation - Clay County, Missouri, Commission Meeting - August 24, 2023

Invocation- Clay County Commission 

August 24, 2023

Rabbi Larry Karol

(For the Rabbinical Association of Greater Kansas City)

 Eternal One, Creator and Sustainer of us all,

we thank You for this opportunity 

to engage in the work

of serving the citizens 

of this county and community.

It is You, Compassionate One, 

to whom we turn 

when we consider laws and policies 

that will govern the lives 

of the people whom we serve, 

members of every generation. 

It is You, Guide and Teacher,

who grants us knowledge and insight 

to discern the meanings and implications 

of proposals and budgets 

that require consideration

So that all decisions will reflect wise leadership.  

It is You, the True Judge, 

who sharpens our sense of justice 

in order to promote both order and fairness.

It is You, Merciful and Patient One, 

who gives us the ability

to speak to one another 

with respect and consideration, 

Where expressions of personal convictions 

will engender cooperation 

and mutual understanding. 

It is You, Guardian and Protector, 

who will grant us safety wherever we are.

And we pray that You, 

the Caring Presence in our lives,

will give us hope that the work we do here 

makes a positive impact 

on the lives of the citizens of this county. 

Sovereign of our days, 

we humbly seek Your blessing

So that we may continue to be 

a blessing to one another.

A Mosaic of Middot/Personal Qualities for Character - Daily Minyan - August 22, 2023

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The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah

August 22, 2023

God our Sustainer and Guide,

Instill in us gratitude for the beauty of this amazing world.

Grant us the patience to stop our busy lives long enough to recognize the wonders all around us and inside each of us. 

Teach us that we are responsible to preserve our planet for the future and to seek to maintain and improve the well-being of our fellow human beings and all life upon this earth. 

Bless us with courage to stand up for our beliefs and values, and with the humility that will enable us to be good partners in creating caring communities. 

Share with us a measure of Your compassion so that we can reach out to others in a spirit of support and generosity. 

Give our souls a sense of rest and peace each day 

So that we will discover how much we are part of the 

Interconnections that comprise this world and the universe

And Your Oneness that encompasses us in love. 

The reading above brings to light the qualities/Middot I used in a session on 8/19/2023 at B’nai Jehudah led by Rabbi Caitlin Brazner which involved  making a mosaic (see below) for the New Year reflecting the middot we selected.  We were asked to assign a color to the each of the middot to guide us in the tiles we selected. 

  The Reish in the middle stands for Rosh Hashanah, but also Rachamim, Mercy.  Rhonda and I painted the white space in our creations, but one circular section remained on mine even after I painted it.  I think that is where the compassion and mercy seep through.  

   I noticed that turning the mosaic upside down changes the Reish to the letter L.   That was totally unintentional! So, my initial unwittingly appeared on this piece.  

Here is the colors/middot guide

Blue - Responsibility/Achrayut

Light Blue - Humility/Anavah

Green - Gratitude/Hakarat Hatov

Red - Courage/Ometz Lev

Orange. - Patience/Savlanut

Brown - Compassion/Chesed

Yellow -Equanimity/M’nuchat Hanefesh

Hymns of Gratitude, Poems of Praise - Daily Minyan - Original Reading - August 17, 2023

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The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah

August 17, 2023

Eternal God, 

You have gifted us a world 

Rich in its diversity

Wondrous in its beauty 

Luminous in its presence

And miraculous in its very existence. 

Enable us to see the array of colors all around us

To feel soft winds in every season

And to hear, as best we can, 

The incredible sounds of nature

The songs of our fellow creatures

And the music that pours out 

from the human soul. 

Provide us with the wisdom 

To turn our daily appreciation of life

Into expressions of awe

Hymns of gratitude

And poems of praise. 

May we raise our inner and outer voices 

In ways that will suffuse the earth 

With love and hope

That will lead us to unity and peace

Encompassed always 

By Your Oneness.

For Shoftim - Journeying to Justice - Daily Minyan Reading - August 15, 2023

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The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah

August 15, 2023

Source of Creation, 

Wellspring of wisdom,

Loving guide along our path to freedom, 

Inspire us to work for true justice

And to practice fairness

In a way that demonstrates 

respect for all people

And for rules that govern our conduct. 

Enable us to shed a light of decency 

Within our hearts 

And upon our neighbors 

With the hope that our actions 

will engender a cooperative spirit,

Grounded in compassion and a unity of purpose

That will encompass all people

And enable us to overcome 

division and discord among us. 

Lead us along this journey 

towards oneness among us

So that the bonds that hold us together

Will bring to our lives in this world 

Your Oneness and Your presence. 

Courage to take a stand - Daily minyan original reading - August 10, 2023

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The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah

August 10, 2023

Wondrous Creator, 

Loving Guide, 

As night descends,

Open our minds and hearts 

To look back on this day 

And to take its gifts with us

During the days to come. 

Grant us vision to see the light inside of ourselves

And within those around us. 

Give us wisdom to apply the lessons we have learned

From our treasured heritage 

To strengthen the connections between all of us 

In the human family. 

Grant us the courage to take a principled stand

To sustain our values and Your teachings 

That are so needed in this world. 

May Your love suffuse our souls 

So that Your Oneness will 

Make us one 

Every night

Every Day. 

Illuminate Every Moment - Daily Minyan Original Reading - August 2, 2023

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The Temple, Congregation B’nai Jehudah

August 2, 2023

Eternal One, 

Loving Creator of this vast universe, 

Guide for our lives in this world, 

Brighten our days with the light that shines on the earth

And illuminate every moment 

With the glow that emanates from our very souls 

That you have given us the opportunity to share 

With family members, with friends, 

And with all people whom we encounter 

Along our path. 

Instill in us a sense of responsibility 

That will connect us with the human community

Both near and far

So that our care will extend beyond ourselves 

In ways that mirror

Your concern for the continued existence 

Of all people who live on this earth. 

Teach us that spreading love among our fellow human beings 

Is always a way that we can demonstrate love for You

So that a canopy of hope and peace will encompass us all 

Sustained by mutual respect and support 

In times of challenge and at moments of celebration and joy. 

Lead us to a vision of oneness among us 

That is but a small portion of the Oneness

That flows from You.