About 250-400 people gathered to hear rousing speeches and sing Am Yisroel Chai and other songs, in support of Israel, in the shadow of a statue of George Washington at the park between the Legislature and the Alfred E. Smith building, Monday, 7-8 pm, Nov. 13, in Albany.
Rabbi Dan Ornstein opened the program.
Artist Susannah Levin of Albany, who was in Israel on Oct. 7, emphasized the first line of Rabbi Hillel’s famous 3-line epigram:
If I’m not for myself, who will be?
She said Jews have long focused on the second line, “If I’m only for myself, what am I?”
Now is the time, as Hillel said, “And if not now, when?”
Program, prepared by Temple Israel and Federation:
Community Solidarity Rally
November 13, 2023
Thank you to 518Kosher and Noble Gas for their donations to our Hostage Recognition.
Thank you as well to Asaf Elkayam, Tsila and Jonathan Waldman, Sheryl Cepler, Mifgash and the staff of the Jewish Federation for helping to make today and other Support Israel efforts possible!
Welcome – Rabbi Dan Ornstein, Congregation Ohav Shalom
Oseh Shalom Bimromav- Led by Capital District Board of Rabbis & Cantors
עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו
הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ
וְעַל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל
וְאִמְרוּ: אָמֵן.
Oseh shalom bimromav
Hu ya’aseh shalom aleinu
V’al kol Yisrael
V’imru: amen.
May the one who creates peace on high bring peace to us and to all Israel. And we say: Amen.
Being on the Ground – Susannah Levin, Family is in Israel currently
Prayer for the State of Israel –
Maayan Amsterdamer,Yaeli Bahir and Jacob Mosden, Mifgash Students
אָבִינוּ שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹאֲלוֹ, בָּרֵךְ אֶת-מְדִינַת-יִשְׂרָאֵל, רֵאשִׁית צְמִיחַת גְּאֻלָּתֵנוּ. הָגֵן עָלֶיהָ בְּאֶבְרַת חַסְדֶּךָ וּפְרֹשׂ עָלֶיהָ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ וּשְׁלַח אוֹרְךָ וַאֲמִתְּךָ לְרָאשֶׁיהָ, שָׂרֶיהָ וְיוֹעֲצֶיהָ, וְתַקְּנֵם בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה מִלְּפָנֶיךָ. חַזֵּק אֶת יְדֵי מְגִנֵּי אֶרֶץ קָדְשֵׁנוּ, וְהַנְחִילֵם אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְשׁוּעָה וַעֲטֶרֶת נִצָּחוֹן תְּעַטְּרֵם, וְנָתַתָּ שָׁלוֹם בָּאָרֶץ וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם לְיוֹשְׁבֶיהָ
Our heavenly parent, Rock-fortress and redeemer of Israel — bless the State of Israel, the initial sprouting of our redemption. Shield her beneath the wings of your lovingkindness; spread over her Your Sukkah of peace; send Your light and Your truth to its leaders, officers, and counselors, and correct them with Your good counsel. Strengthen the defenders of our Holy Land; grant them salvation, and crown them with victory. Establish peace in the land, and everlasting joy for her inhabitants. And let us say: Amen
Israel Connection – On behalf of Keren Zilberberg (HACD/UAlbany/Union Staff Member)
Prayer for the hostages – Ofir Katz and Tanya Schwartz
מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב יוֹסֵף מֹשֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה, הוּא יְבָרֵךְ וְיִשְׁמֹר וְיִנְצֹר אֶת נֶעְדְּרֵי צְבָא הֲגַנָּה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת הַשְּׁבוּיִים (שמות של השבויים) בְּתוֹךְ שְׁאָר אֲחֵינוּ בֵּית יִשְֹרָאֵל הַנְּתוּנִים בְּצָרָה וּבְשִׁבְיָה. בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהַקָּהָל מִתְפַּלֵּל בַּעֲבוּרָם, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יִמָּלֵא רַחֲמִים עֲלֵיהֶם, וְיוֹצִיאֵם מֵחֹשֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָוֶת, וּמוֹסְרוֹתֵיהֶם יְנַתֵּק, וּמִמְּצוּקוֹתֵיהֶם יוֹשִׁיעֵם, וִישִׁיבֵם מְהֵרָה לְחֵיק מִשְׁפְּחוֹתֵיהֶם. ”יוֹדוּ לַה’ חַסְדּוֹ וְנִפְלְאוֹתָיו לִבְנֵי אָדָם“. וִיקֻיַּם בָּהֶם מִקְרָא שֶׁכָּתוּב: ”וּפְדוּיֵי ה’ יְשׁוּבוּן וּבָאוּ צִיּוֹן בְּרִנָּה וְשִׂמְחַת עוֹלָם עַל רֹאשָׁם. שָׂשׂוֹן וְשִׂמְחָה יַשִּׂיגוּ וְנָסוּ יָגוֹן וַאֲנָחָה“ וְנֹאמַר אָמֵן.
May the One who blessed Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David and Solomon bless, watch and guard those missing from the Israel Defense Forces and the captives [name of captives], among others of our brethren of the House of Israel that are situated in distress and in captivity. On account of the congregation’s praying for them, may the Holy One, blessed be He, grant mercy upon them, take them out from darkness and gloom, break their chains, redeem them from their ordeals and return them quickly to the comfort of their families. “Let them praise the Lord for His kindness, and His wondrous deeds for the children of man” . And through them, let the verse (be fulfilled, “And the Lord’s ransomed shall return, and come with shouting to Zion, crowned with joy everlasting; they shall attain joy and gladness, while sorrow and sighing flee.” And let us say, Amen.
HaTikvah – Led by Hebrew Academy and Mifgash Students
כֹּל עוֹד בַּלֵּבָב פְּנִימָה
נֶפֶשׁ יְהוּדִי הוֹמִיָּה
וּלְפַאֲתֵי מִזְרָח, קָדִימָה
עַיִן לְצִיּוֹן צוֹפִיָּה
עוֹד לֹא אָבְדָה תִּקְוָתֵנוּ
הַתִּקְוָה בַּת שְׁנוֹת אַלְפַּיִם
לִהְיוֹת עַם חָפְשִׁי בְּאַרְצֵנוּ
אֶרֶץ צִיּוֹן וִירוּשָׁלַיִם
Kol od balevav penimah,
Nefesh yehudi homiyah,
Ulefa-atei mizrach, kadimah,
Ayin letziyon tsofiyah.
Od lo avdah tikvateinu
Hatikva bat shnot alpayim,
Lihyot am chofshi be-artzeinu,
Eretz tzion, virushalayim
As long as in the heart within,
The Jewish soul yearns,
And toward the eastern edges, onward,
An eye gazes toward Zion.
Our hope is not yet lost,
The hope that is two-thousand years old,
To be a free nation in our land.
Acheinu Kol Beit Yisrael – Led by Maimonides Students
אַחֵינוּ כָּל בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל, הַנְּתוּנִים בְּצָרָה וּבַשִּׁבְיָה, הָעוֹמְדִים בֵּין בַּיָּם וּבֵין בַּיַּבָּשָׁה, הַמָּקוֹם יְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם, וְיוֹצִיאֵם מִצָּרָה לִרְוָחָה, וּמֵאֲפֵלָה לְאוֹרָה, וּמִשִּׁעְבּוּד לִגְאֻלָּה, הַשְׁתָּא בַּעֲגָלָא וּבִזְמַן קָרִיב.
Acheinu kol beit yisrael,
Acheinu kol beit yisrael, han’tunim b’tzara, b’tzara uvashivyah, haomdim bein bayam uvein bayabasha. Hamakom Y’racheim, Y’racheim Aleihem v’yotziem mitzara lirvacha um’afaila l’orah umishiabud lig’ulah, hashta ba’agala uvizman kariv.
We are brothers, the whole house of Israel,
Those who are in trouble or captivity,
whether they are on the sea or on land:
May the All-present have mercy upon them, and bring them forth from trouble to enlargement, from darkness to light, and from subjection to redemption, now speedily and at a near time.The Land of Zion, Jerusalem.
Closing Remarks – Jeff Handelman, Chair of the Jewish Federation of NENY
Communal Singing – Songs of Peace שירי שלום led by Cantor Rogerio Marx, Temple Israel
Kol HaOlam Kulo
כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלוֹ גֶשֶׁר צַר מְּאֹד וְהָעִיקָר לֹא לְפַחֵד כְּלַל
Kol ha’olam kulo
Gesher tzar me’od
Veha’ikar lo lifached k’lal.
The whole world
Is a very narrow bridge
and the main thing is to have no fear at all
Am Yisrael Chai
עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי עוֹד אָבִינוּ חַי
Am Yisrael chai, od avinu chai!
The People of Israel live, our Father yet lives!
