Rabbi Robert Silvers
Congregation B'nai Israel
Boca Raton, FL
Sponsor: Rep. Ted Deutch, (D-FL)
Date of Prayer: 04/17/2013
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Deutch) is recognized for 1 minute.
There was no objection.
Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I'm proud to have the opportunity to welcome one of my constituents, Rabbi Robert Silvers , of the Congregation B'Nai Israel in Boca Raton, Florida, as he offered the opening prayer here today. He is a leader in the Jewish community in south Florida. His life epitomizes the Jewish tradition of tikkun olam––bettering the world.
Rabbi Silvers' impact is felt well beyond the 1,200 families of Congregation B'Nai Israel, with pastoral work and care that he provides not only to his own congregation but also to the greater local community as a volunteer chaplain for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. He has served as president of the Palm Beach County Board of Rabbis and as president of the Greater Boca Raton Religious Leaders Association, an interfaith coalition of clergy. Rabbi Silvers has been involved in education and interfaith dialogue throughout south Florida.
I'm proud to call Rabbi Silvers and his wife, Ava, friends. I welcome them and all of his congregants who watched on C–SPAN as he delivered this meaningful prayer.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
Eternal God, we children of humanity pray to You by many names, but in our hearts we all know You as One. Your unity creates the common bond between us and is our common bond with You. And though Your absolute truth eludes us, nonetheless we strive to be more like You and to carry out Your will for humanity: that we live together in peace.
And though some seek to disrupt the peace and deprive us of our very lives, as we witnessed in Boston, we pray, O God, that their actions be thwarted and that You continue to shelter us with Your canopy of peace. Send healing of body and soul, O God, to the victims of this act of terror, to our Nation, and to all who grieve with them. Keep forever in Your loving embrace the souls of those who lost their lives.
We pray that those who do harm be brought to justice and that You, O God, instill in all peoples everywhere a love of humanity and a respect for each and every human being created in Your divine image.
Help us, O God, to realize that each of us holds a glimpse of something greater; though created mortal and fallible, we need Your gifts of wisdom and patience to find partners, even in surprising and unlikely places, with whom we must work together to benefit our country and our world.
We turn to You, Source of Peace, to inspire and support the leaders of our Nation to find accord even in these times of challenge. May it be Your will that in recognizing the Unity of the Divine, they will strive to foster a similar unity among themselves for the sake of this great Nation.
Joining together, we say the Hebrew word affirming faith; faith in each other, continued faith in humanity, and faith in the Holiness beyond us.
Amen.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory