Category: Bergen County

On this National Day of Remembrance, so very honored to have been a part of Memorial Day in the Borough of Alpine (NJ). 

— 2019 Memorial Day Invocation

May 27, 2019, Alpine, NJ. 07620

Rabbi Nat Benjamin, Chavurah Beth Shalom

 

Almighty God,

We pause on this Day of Memorial to honor the memories of the heroic sons and daughters of our country who rendered their full measure of devotion on all the far-flung battlefields of the world in the defense of these United States. We honor our deceased brothers and sisters who willingly laid down their lives so that we might live in peace and tranquility and celebrate this Memorial Day of 2019 with our families, neighbors and our children. They fought valiantly and courageously in storms of fire and blood so that we, the living, may enjoy the blessings of liberty, democracy and freedom. We need to remember that God created this vast and glorious world for us to live in, freely, but also at great sacrifice

Memorial Day is a day when we pause in prayer to give thanks to the people who even now, as together we pray, are sacrificing their very lives and dreams for the way of life we, as Americans, hold sacred and dear.

We are proud of our military heroes whom we recognize and honor on this day, serving our country in far flung locations throughout the world and here at home. We are proud of the United States Navy Seals, The United States Navy, The United States Marines, The United States Army, The United States Air Force, The United States Coast Guard, The National Guard, our heroes who are still missing in action, prisoners of war and those in our military hospitals suffering the ravages of war.

Let us never forget from the Revolutionary War to the current War on Terrorism and all the wars in between that sacrifice was made for our freedom. May the deeds of our fallen heroes be an inspiration to us and to all our fellow Americans. Grant that their supreme sacrifices shall not have been in vain and may we prove ourselves worthy of their sacrifices.

Let this Memorial Day stimulate us to be mindful of our responsibilities and duties as conscientious citizens of this great Republic.

We pray thee, Merciful God, sustain the leaders of the World’s Nations in their efforts to remove the dark shadow of fear which lurks over the abode of peace-loving people.

Help all nations of our 21st century world realize the cruelty of bloodshed and the futility of warfare and terrorism. Inspire them to labor with all their might to banish conflict and strife and establish world peace. May it be your will that the prophetic vision of enduring universal peace be speedily realized in our time; ushering in a new birth of freedom for all the inhabitants of the earth.

Amen.