|
By Morton A. Klein
(MARCH 15, 2023 / ISRAEL HAYOM) The Prayer for the State of Israel merely specifically asks for the success of the efforts of the defenders of our holy land. Even if a rabbi dislikes a current Israeli government, his congregation should surely be able to pray for the success of efforts to protect Israel from her enemies.
For many decades, during Shabbat services, Conservative movement and Religious Zionist orthodox congregations have recited the heartfelt Prayer for the State of Israel, written by Israel's chief rabbis in 1948. The Conservative movement's Sim Shalom prayer books seem to solely use the prayer's first paragraph. Reconstructionist Jews, in their Kol Haneshamah prayer books, have also adopted the prayer's first paragraph, with minor modifications, and made more modifications to latter portions of the prayer.
The prayer's widely-used first paragraph asks God to bless the State of Israel, the first sprouting of our redemption; to shield Israel with God's lovingkindness; to envelope Israel with peace; to bestow light and truth and your good counsel upon Israel's leaders, ministers and advisers; to strengthen the hands of the defenders of our holy land and save them and give them the crown of victory; and to grant peace in the land and eternal happiness to its inhabitants.
This is a nonpartisan invocation for Israel's continuing existence and well-being. The prayer doesn't endorse any political party or any government leader or minister. Rather, the prayer beseeches the Almighty to bestow light, truth and good counsel on Israel's leaders and ministers, whomever they may be.
It is thus sad and divisive that a few Conservative movement rabbis, including the rabbi of New York City's Congregation Ansche Chesed Jeremy Kalmanofsky, initiated a boycott of this beautiful prayer. Kalmanofsky stated that he is discontinuing having his congregation recite the prayer because he believes that Israel's current leaders are "dastardly" and he doesn't want their efforts to succeed.
| 
