Jewish Reconstructionist Federation

A prayer for the people of Haiti  

Adapted by Rabbi Shawn Zevit from a prayer by Bradley Burston, Israel
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A prayer for the people of Haiti, 
who, on a good day, 
must take heroic measures 
just to wake the next, 
And who must now find a way 
to live through the end of the world: 

Compassionate One 
whose relief work is beyond our capabilities 
Breathe life today into those buried alive 
and strengthen the response capacity
of Your relief workers in this world
To hear those who have yet to be saved, 
To hear those who have been saved 
but whose limbs and lives are crushed, 
To hear those who pray 
For those who can no longer pray for themselves. 

Source of Speech, embedded in the language of love 
Fortify the souls of those who call out now in rescue 
Life Force, expressed in the language of loss 
Send strength to those who, with their last strength 
Now seek nothing more than finding loved ones 

A prayer for the people of Haiti, 
who on this day 
take heroic measures 
just to survive, 
And with the world's help,
Will find a way 
to live into 
an new world,
Though one rebuilt
on the rubble of unfathomable loss.

Source of Response to need 
Be the blessing
Of prayers realized.

Haiti’s Psalm, Rabbi Josh Lesser

I lift my eyes up to the mountains

From where does my help come? (Ps. 121)

Shock, aftershock, aftershock

The devastation seems endless

Long after the earth has stopped moving

From where does help come?

From Haiti, we hear the cries around the world

We see the broken bodies, buildings jumbled

A structural collapse of comprehension

From where does help come?

The weight of it all crashes down

Like a palace wall

A calamity of sadness and death sealing us in

From where does help come?

But from the safety of our living room

We can turn off the television, the radio, the computer screen

Close the magazine, recycle the newspaper

From where does help come?

And if we shut our eyes

Succumb to our overwhelm and the fortune of being able to

Ignore the brokenness through our distance then

From where does help come?

The body of Haiti is broken

And its spirit sputters:

A spirit that was born breaking chains with the deepest knowing

That every human being was created with Divine love

Free and equal

Where the refrain of the country reverberates

“Strength through Unity”

May we find the way to share this immense burden

To strengthen through unity

To hear their cry as our cry

To help rebuild the country and revive its spirit

To not ask where does help come

But help us become that help that extends

From the Unseen One, the creator of the heavens and earth.

Together we pray, may

The Vigilant guard you from all evil, and keep your lifebreath safe.

The Shepherd guard your going out and coming in, from now unto eternity.

Let it be God’s Will/Kehn Yehi Ratzon