Jewish Resources
for Resilience

In difficult moments, it’s important to remember that you are not alone. We are not alone.聽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:

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. (of the great Debbie Friedman singing Mi Shebeirach, and 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

Prayer For the State of Israel, by Rabbi Ayelet Cohen

Rabbi Ayelet Cohen is a contemporary spiritual leader, teacher, and author; she is the author of  prayers and liturgy that are used by communities around the world.

Source of life, Maker of wonders, bless the State of Israel and all the inhabitants of the land.

Protect her with infinite compassion; spread over her your shelter of peace. Strengthen the hearts and the will of its citizens calling out for justice and democracy. May their voices ring out like a shofar throughout the land.

A budding redemption, help them replant what has been uprooted and tend what has been neglected so the seedling promises of refuge and equality blossom and thrive. May their feet not give way; let them not tire nor slumber nor succumb to fear.

Grant strength and courage 鈥 nurture a shared future for all who call the land home. Healer of the broken-hearted, sustain our hope. Help us celebrate what was and is miraculous in Israel鈥檚 founding. Help us grieve all that has been lost in the realization of that dream. May we be strong enough and honest enough to carry the shattered along with the whole.

May our love and our commitment to the vision of the Prophets endure like honey from the crag and oil from the flinty rock.

May we be partners with the Divine and with all the inhabitants of the land in establishing and protecting justice, peace and joy.

诪职拽讜止专 讛址讞址讬执旨讬诐 注讜止砖侄讉讛 驻侄诇侄讗 讘指旨专值讱职 讗侄转 诪职讚执讬谞址转 讬执砖职讉专指讗值诇 讜职讗侄转 讻讎旨诇 转旨讜止砖指讈讘值讬 讛指讗指专侄抓 讛指讙值谉 注指诇侄讬讛指 讘职旨讗侄讘职专址转 讞址住职讚侄旨讱指 讜旨驻职专讜止砖讉 注指诇侄讬讛指 住只讻址旨转 砖职讈诇讜止诪侄讱指 讞址讝值旨拽 讗侄转 诇执讘旨讜止转 讗侄讝职专指讞侄讬讛指

专讜止讚职驻值讬 讛址爪侄旨讚侄拽 讜职讛址讚值旨诪讜止 拽职专址讟职讬指讛 砖侄讈讬址旨注植讘执讬专 讜旨拽讜止诇指诐 讻职旨砖讈讜止驻指专 讘职旨讻讎诇 讛指讗指专侄抓變

 爪职诪执讬讞址转 讙职旨讗只诇指旨转值谞讜旨 转值旨谉 讘职旨讬指讚指诐 诇执谞职讟止注址 诪值讞指讚指砖讈 讗侄转 讗植砖侄讈专 谞侄注直拽址专 诇职讛址砖职讈拽讜止转 讗侄转 讗植砖侄讈专 谞指讘址诇 诇职诪址注址谉 讬执驻职专职讞讜旨 讜执讬砖址讉讙职砖职讉讙讜旨 砖职讈转执讬诇值讬 讛址讘职讟指讞讜止转 诪执拽职诇指讟 讜职砖执讈讜职讬讜止谉 讗址诇志转执旨转值旨谉 诇址诪旨讜止讟 专址讙职诇值讬讛侄诐 砖侄讈诇止讗 讬指谞讜旨诪讜旨 讜职诇止讗 讬执讬砖职讈谞讜旨 讘指旨专值讱职 讗讜止转指诐變

讞执讝职拽讜旨 讜职讗执诪职爪讜旨, 讗址诇志转执旨讬专职讗讜旨 诇职诪址注址谉 注指转执讬讚 诪职砖只讈转指旨祝 诇职讻讎诇 诪执讬 砖侄讈讛指讗指专侄抓 讛址讝止旨讗转 讛执讬讗 讘值旨讬转讜止變 讛指专讜止驻值讗 诇执砖职讈讘讜旨专值讬 诇值讘 谞职爪止专 讗侄转 转执旨拽职讜讜止转值讬谞讜旨 注植讝止专 诇指谞讜旨 诇址讞职讙止旨讙 讗侄转 讛址谞值旨住 讘址旨讛植拽指诪址转 诪职讚执讬谞址转 讬执砖职讉专指讗值诇 注植讝止专 诇指谞讜旨 诇职讛执转职讗址讘值旨诇 注址诇 诪指讛 砖侄讈讗指讘址讚 讘职旨讛址讙职砖指讈诪址转 讞植诇讜止诪值谞讜旨變 讬职讛执讬 专指爪讜止谉 砖侄讈谞执旨讛职讬侄讛 讗植诪执讬爪执讬诐 讜职讻值谞执讬诐 诪址住职驻执旨讬拽 诇职讛指讻执讬诇 讗侄转 讛址砖职旨讈讘指专执讬诐 讘址旨砖指讈诇值诐變

讬职讛执讬 专指爪讜止谉 砖侄讈讗址讛植讘指转值谞讜旨 讜旨讚职讘值拽讜旨转值谞讜旨 讘址旨讞植讝讜止谉 讛址谞职旨讘执讬讗执讬诐 转址旨注植诪止讚职谞指讛 讻执旨讚职讘址砖讈 诪执住侄旨诇址注 讜旨讻职砖侄讈诪侄谉 诪值讞址诇职诪执讬砖讈 爪讜旨专變

讬职讛执讬 专指爪讜止谉 砖侄讈谞执旨讝职讻侄旨讛 诇执讛职讬讜止转 砖只讈转指旨驻执讬诐 注执诐 讗直诇止讛执讬诐 讜职注执诐 讻讎旨诇 转旨讜止砖指讈讘值讬讛指 讗指专侄抓 诇职拽址讬值旨诐 讜旨诇职讛指讙值谉 注址诇 砖指讈诇讜止诐 讜职爪侄讚侄拽 讜职砖执讉诪职讞址转 注讜止诇指诐變

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 鈥
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

注止讜止讚 讬址讘止讗 砖址讈诇讜止止诐 注址诇值讬谞讜旨 讜职注址诇 讻只诇址诐

乇丨 賷噩賷 丕賱爻賱丕賲 毓賱賷賳丕 賵毓賱賶 賰賱 丕賱毓丕賱賲

Bring Them Home, by Adva Chattler

Adva Chattler is the Managing Director of Engagement and Innovation at Ritualwell. She is an Israeli-Mizrahi Jew, born and raised in Be鈥檈r-Sheva, Israel. 

I鈥檓 empty. Drained.
Like a dry riverbed
in the heat of the desert sun.

I am emptied out,
my water taken away鈥
buckets
filled with my precious
drops of life.

Each drop,
a world of its own鈥
a life
taken captive, fate unknown.
Taken captive, dead and gone.
Taken captive
and I am here
to mourn.

Now I beg
Now I pledge
Now I pray

讘指旨专讜旨讱职 讗址转指旨讛 讛鈥 讗直诇止讛值讬谞讜旨 讞值讬 讛指注讜止诇指诪执讬诐 诪址转执旨讬专 讗植住讜旨专执讬诐
Baruch atah Adonai, eloheinu hei ha鈥檕lamim matir asurim

Blessed are you God, life of all the worlds, who makes the captive free

Bring them home.
I will be here
Waiting
Ready
For their return,
like a tidal wave.

讗植谞执讬 专值讬拽指讛. 讬址讘指旨砖指讈讛
讻职旨谞址讞址诇 讗址讻职讝指讘
转址旨讞址转 砖侄讈诪侄砖讈 讛址诪执旨讚职讘指旨专 讛址拽旨讜止驻址讞址转

专讜止拽址谞职转执旨讬
诪址讬职旨诪执讬 谞执诇职拽职讞讜旨 诪执诪侄旨谞执旨讬
讚职旨诇指讬执讬诐 诪职诇值讗执讬诐
讘职旨讟执驻旨讜止转 砖诇 讞址讬址旨讬诐

讜职讻指诇 讟执驻指旨讛
注讜止诇指诐 讜旨诪职诇讜止讗讜止
讞址讬执旨讬诐
谞执诇职拽职讞讜旨 讘执旨砖职讈讘执讬, 讛址讙旨讜止专指诇 诇止讗 讬指讚讜止注址
谞执诇职拽职讞讜旨 讘执旨砖职讈讘执讬, 诪值转讜旨 讜职诇止讗 讬指砖讈讜旨讘讜旨
谞执诇职拽职讞讜旨 讘执旨砖职讈讘执讬
讜址讗植谞执讬 驻侄旨讛
诇职讛执转职讗址讘值旨诇

讜职讻指注值转 讗植谞执讬 诪执转职讞址谞侄旨谞侄转
讗植谞执讬 诪职讘址拽侄旨砖侄讈转
讗植谞执讬 诪执转职驻址旨诇侄旨诇侄转

讘指旨专讜旨讱职 讗址转指旨讛 讛鈥 讗直诇止讛值讬谞讜旨 讞值讬 讛指注讜止诇指诪执讬诐 诪址转执旨讬专 讗植住讜旨专执讬诐

讛指砖值讈讘 讗讜止转指诐 诇职讘值讬转指诐
讜址讗植谞执讬 讗侄讛职讬侄讛 讻指旨讗谉
诪址诪职转执旨讬谞指讛
诪讜旨讻指谞指讛
诇址讞植讝址专职转指旨诐
讻职旨谞址讞职砖讈讜止诇值讬 讛址讬指旨诐

A Prayer for Israeli Soldiers and Civilians Being Held Captive, adapted from Psalms 91:15

Our God, the One who raised Joseph up from the pit, be 鈥渁 refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.鈥 (Psalms 9:10). Send complete rescue and full redemption to those held captive by the enemy.

Strengthen their spirit and bring them our prayers that they be protected from all harm. Implant understanding in the heart of the enemy that they may return the captives in wholeness of body and spirit.

Grant wisdom, strength and guidance to the Israel Defense Forces that they may secure freedom for the captives without loss of life.

Grant strength of spirit and courage of heart to all the sons and daughters of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar to release bonds of captivity and allow us all to live in freedom, peace and security.

鈥淭hey shall call upon Me, and I will answer them; I will be with them in distress; I will rescue them, and honor them.鈥 (Psalms 91:15)

Mourner鈥檚 Kaddish | Suggested Activity with Friends: Imbuing Memory Into Stones

Written in Aramaic, the Mourner鈥檚 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鈥檚 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鈥檡itkadash sh鈥檓ei raba b鈥檃lma di-v鈥檙a chirutei, v鈥檡amlich malchutei b鈥檆hayeichon uvyomeichon uvchayei d鈥檆hol beit yisrael, ba鈥檃gala uvizman kariv, v鈥檌m鈥檙u: 鈥渁men.鈥

Y鈥檋ei sh鈥檓ei raba m鈥檝arach l鈥檃lam ul鈥檃lmei almaya. Yitbarach v鈥檡ishtabach, v鈥檡itpa鈥檃r v鈥檡itromam v鈥檡itnaseh, v鈥檡ithadar v鈥檡it鈥檃leh v鈥檡it鈥檋alal sh鈥檓ei d鈥檏ud鈥檚ha, b鈥檙ich hu,

l鈥檈ila min-kol-birchata v鈥檚hirata, tushb鈥檆hata v鈥檔echemata da鈥檃miran b鈥檃lma, v鈥檌m鈥檙u: 鈥渁men.鈥

Y鈥檋ei shlama raba min-sh鈥檓aya v鈥檆hayim aleinu v鈥檃l-kol-yisrael, v鈥檌m鈥檙u: 鈥渁men.鈥

Oseh shalom bimromav, hu ya鈥檃seh shalom aleinu v鈥檃l kol-yisrael, v鈥檌mru: 鈥渁men.鈥

讬执转职讙址旨讚址旨诇 讜职讬执转职拽址讚址旨砖讈 砖职讈诪值讛旨 专址讘指旨讗. [讗诪谉] 讘职旨注指诇职诪指讗 讚执旨讬 讘职专指讗 讻执专职注讜旨转值讛旨 讜职讬址诪职诇执讬讱职

 诪址诇职讻讜旨转值讛旨 讘职旨讞址讬值旨讬讻讜谉 讜旨讘职讬讜诪值讬讻讜谉 讜旨讘职讞址讬值旨讬 讚职讻指诇 讘值旨讬转 讬执砖专指讗值诇 讘址旨注植讙指诇指讗 讜旨讘执讝职诪址谉 拽指专执讬讘, 讜职讗执诪职专讜旨 讗指诪值谉 

讬职讛值讗 砖职讈诪值讛旨 专址讘指旨讗 诪职讘指专址讱职 诇职注指诇址诐 讜旨诇职注指诇职诪值讬 注指诇职诪址讬指旨讗

讬执转职讘指旨专址讱职 讜职讬执砖职讈转址旨讘址旨讞 讜职讬执转职驻指旨讗址专 讜职讬执转职专讜诪址诐 讜职讬执转职谞址砖旨讗 讜职讬执转职讛址讚指旨专 讜职讬执转职注址诇侄旨讛 讜职讬执转职讛址诇指旨诇 砖职讈诪值讛旨 讚职旨拽只讚职砖指讈讗. 讘职旨专执讬讱职 讛讜旨讗

诇职注值诇指旨讗 诪执谉 讻指旨诇 讘执旨专职讻指转指讗 讜职砖执讈讬专指转指讗 转只旨砖职讈讘职旨讞指转指讗 讜职谞侄讞直诪指转指讗 讚址旨讗植诪执讬专指谉 讘职旨注指诇职诪指讗. 讜职讗执诪职专讜旨 讗指诪值谉

讬职讛值讗 砖职讈诇指诪指讗 专址讘指旨讗 诪执谉 砖职讈诪址讬指旨讗 讜职讞址讬执旨讬诐 注指诇值讬谞讜旨 讜职注址诇 讻指旨诇 讬执砖专指讗值诇. 讜职讗执诪职专讜旨 讗指诪值谉 

注讜砖讛 砖指讈诇讜诐 讘执旨诪职专讜诪指讬讜 讛讜旨讗 讬址注植砖讛 砖指讈诇讜诐 注指诇值讬谞讜旨 讜职注址诇 讻指旨诇 讬执砖专指讗值诇 讜职讗执诪职专讜旨 讗指诪值谉

Glorified and sanctified be God鈥檚 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.