Jewish Resources
for Resilience
In difficult moments, it’s important to remember that you are not alone. We are not alone. Collectively, we can draw strength from each other, and from Jewish wisdom and history, which teaches us how to find strength and resilience even in the most difficult times.
Music for Strength and Comfort:
- If Not Now, by Carrie Newcomer performed by Dana Bederson while sheltering in Israel
- Oseh Shalom, Elena Jagoda
- Shalom Rav, Alex Blue
- Ahavat Olam, Platt Brothers
- Hashkivenu, by Dan Nichols
- Prayer of the Mothers, Yael Deckelbaum
Blessings, Prayers, and Ritual Experiences:
Mi Shebeirach – Prayer for Healing, by Debbie Friedman
One of the central Jewish prayers for those who are ill or recovering from illness or injury is the Mi Shebeirach. With a holistic view of humankind, these words help us pray for physical cure as well as spiritual healing, asking for blessing, compassion, restoration, and strength, within the community of others facing illness as well as all Jews, and all human beings. Presented here is the version of the Mi Shebeirach written by Debbie Friedman, a popular Jewish folk musician who focused on liturgical music. (Here is a video of the great Debbie Friedman singing Mi Shebeirach, and here is a version with the lyrics on the screen.)
Mi shebeirach avoteinu, m’kor hab’racha l’imoteinu
May the source of strength,
Who blessed the ones before us,
Help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing,
And let us say, Amen.
Mi shebeirach imoteinu, m’kor habrachah l’avoteinu
Bless those in need of healing with r’fuah sh’leimah,
The renewal of body, the renewal of spirit,
And let us say, Amen
May it Be, by Rabbi Rachel Barenblat: A Blessing for Peace in English, Hebrew, and Arabic
Rabbi Rachel Barenblat, also known as the Velveteen Rabbi, is a contemporary author, blogger, and spiritual leader.
To our friends and family
From the windswept Golan
To the sands of the Arava:
We hold you in our hearts
We hold your children in our hearts
Our fate is bound up in yours.
And to the parents and children
From Ramallah to Gaza City
Who also do not wish for war —
But we love this land with you
We pray for better with you
And we yearn for peace with you.
God, with all the desperation of our hearts we plead: may it be true that peace will yet come.
May it be true that peace will yet come
עֹוֹד יַבֹא שַׁלוֹֹם עַלֵינוּ וְעַל כֻלַם
رح يجي السلام علينا وعلى كل العالم
Mourner’s Kaddish | Suggested Activity with Friends: Imbuing Memory Into Stones
Written in Aramaic, the Mourner’s Kaddish is the prayer traditionally recited in memory of the dead. The prayer never mentions death or dying, but instead proclaims the greatness of God. By reciting it, mourners show that even as their faith is being tested by their loss, they are affirming God’s greatness.
Join together with friends. Go together to gather stones around campus, and to hold them physically close to your hearts while saying the Mourner’s Kaddish together. Each person can take your stone home and place it somewhere visible as a reminder of those you are grieving for in this moment. Or, by carrying the stone in a pocket or bag, you can carry a physical reminder of the memories of people lost in the terror attacks, and of the strong Jewish community gathering together in different communities around the world in these times.
Yitgadal v’yitkadash sh’mei raba b’alma di-v’ra chirutei, v’yamlich malchutei b’chayeichon uvyomeichon uvchayei d’chol beit yisrael, ba’agala uvizman kariv, v’im’ru: “amen.”
Y’hei sh’mei raba m’varach l’alam ul’almei almaya. Yitbarach v’yishtabach, v’yitpa’ar v’yitromam v’yitnaseh, v’yithadar v’yit’aleh v’yit’halal sh’mei d’kud’sha, b’rich hu,
l’eila min-kol-birchata v’shirata, tushb’chata v’nechemata da’amiran b’alma, v’im’ru: “amen.”
Y’hei shlama raba min-sh’maya v’chayim aleinu v’al-kol-yisrael, v’im’ru: “amen.”
Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya’aseh shalom aleinu v’al kol-yisrael, v’imru: “amen.”
יִתְגַּדַּל וְיִתְקַדַּשׁ שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא. [אמן] בְּעָלְמָא דִּי בְרָא כִרְעוּתֵהּ וְיַמְלִיךְ
מַלְכוּתֵהּ בְּחַיֵּיכון וּבְיומֵיכון וּבְחַיֵּי דְכָל בֵּית יִשרָאֵל בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב, וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
יְהֵא שְׁמֵהּ רַבָּא מְבָרַךְ לְעָלַם וּלְעָלְמֵי עָלְמַיָּא
יִתְבָּרַךְ וְיִשְׁתַּבַּח וְיִתְפָּאַר וְיִתְרומַם וְיִתְנַשּא וְיִתְהַדָּר וְיִתְעַלֶּה וְיִתְהַלָּל שְׁמֵהּ דְּקֻדְשָׁא. בְּרִיךְ הוּא
לְעֵלָּא מִן כָּל בִּרְכָתָא וְשִׁירָתָא תֻּשְׁבְּחָתָא וְנֶחֱמָתָא דַּאֲמִירָן בְּעָלְמָא. וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
יְהֵא שְׁלָמָא רַבָּא מִן שְׁמַיָּא וְחַיִּים עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשרָאֵל. וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
עושה שָׁלום בִּמְרומָיו הוּא יַעֲשה שָׁלום עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כָּל יִשרָאֵל וְאִמְרוּ אָמֵן
Glorified and sanctified be God’s great name throughout the world which God has created according to God’s will.
May The Divine establish their kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire House of Israel, speedily and soon; and say, Amen.
May God’s great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.
Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be.
The Divine, beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.
May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.
The One who creates peace in their celestial heights, may they create peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.
Psalm 118, Hallel
In times of crisis, this Psalm expresses the moments that cry out for answers, for finding our way out to the other side. It’s is a vision of how we long to feel and how we long to be seen.
Min ha’metzar karati Yah Anani b’merhav Yah
מִן הַמֵּצַר קָרָאתִי יָּהּ
עָנָנִי בַמֶּרְחָב יָהּ
From the depths of despair, I called out to You, and you answered me with great expansiveness
Hashkiveinu: A Nighttime Prayer for Peace and Protection
Hashkiveinu is a prayer traditionally recited at night, asking God to spread over us a canopy of peace as we lay down to rest. It acknowledges the vulnerability of nighttime and calls for protection from fear, harm, and those who seek to do evil. We share these words of prayer because it voices our longing for safety, peace, and comfort in the face of terror and violence.
Hashkiveinu, Adonai Eloheinu, l’shalom,
v’haamideinu shomreinu l’chayim, ufros aleinu
sukat sh’lomecha, v’takneinu b’etizah tovah
milfanecha, v’hoshi-einu l’maan sh’mecha.
V’hagein baadeinu v’haseir mei-aleinu oyiev,
dever, v’cherev, v’raav, v’yagon, v’harcheik
mimenu avon vafesha. Uv’tzeil k’nafecha
tastireinu ki El shomreinu umatzileinu atah, ki El
chanun v’rachum atah. Ushmor tzeiteinu uvo-
einu l’chayim ul’shalom, mei-atah v’ad Olam.
Baruch atah, Adonai, haporeis sukat shalom
aleinu v’al kol amo Yisrael v’al Yerushalyim.
הַשְׁכִּיבֵֽנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ לְשָׁלוֹם, וְהַעֲמִידֵֽנוּ שׁוֹמְרֵנוּ לְחַיִּים, וּפְרוֹשׂ עָלֵֽינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶֽךָ, וְתַקְּנֵֽנוּ בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ, וְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ לְמַֽעַן שְׁמֶֽךָ. וְהָגֵן בַּעֲדֵֽנוּ, וְהָסֵר מֵעָלֵֽינוּ אוֹיֵב, דֶּֽבֶר, וְחֶֽרֶב, וְרָעָב, וְיָגוֹן, וְהָרְחֵיק מִמֶּנּוּ עָוֹן וָפֶשַׁע. וּבְצֵל כְּנָפֶֽיךָ תַּסְתִּירֵֽנוּ, כִּי אֵל שׁוֹמְרֵֽנוּ וּמַצִּילֵֽנוּ אָֽתָּה, כִּי אֵל חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם אָֽתָּה, וּשְׁמוֹר צֵאתֵֽנוּ וּבוֹאֵֽנוּ, לְחַיִּים וּלְשָׁלוֹם, מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ, הַפּוֹרֵשׂ סֻכַּת שָׁלוֹם עָלֵֽינוּ וְעַל כָּל עַמּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל יְרוּשָׁלָֽיִם.
Grant, O God, that we lie down in peace, and raise us up, our Guardian, to life renewed. Spread over us the shelter of Your peace. Guide us with Your good counsel; for Your Name’s sake, be our help. Shield and shelter us beneath the shadow of Your wings. Defend us against enemies, illness, war, famine and sorrow. Distance us from wrongdoing. For You, God, watch over us and deliver us. For You, God, are gracious and merciful. Guard our going and coming, to life and to peace evermore.
Blessed are You, Eternal One, Guardian of Israel, whose shelter of peace is spread over us, over all Your people Israel, and over Jerusalem.