These two prayers have come across various Jewish Renewal email lists to which I belong. I share them here for anyone who needs them, with gratitude to my friends and teachers who composed them. Please feel free to share / use in your own community (with attribution.)

The first is by Rabbi Sami Barth, with whom I studied both liturgy and Codes some years back. The accompanying image shows a member of the New York fire department in the Breezy Point section of Queens, taken a couple of days ago. Photo by Shannon Stapleton/Reuters. [Source.]

Prayer in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy

by Rabbi Samuel Barth

Esa enai el leharim – me’ayin yavo ezri? I lift my eyes to the high places- where will my help come from?

Your Power God, Creator of the world, is manifest in the winds of the hurricane and the destruction they have caused. We turn to You to pray for the wisdom and strength of those responsible for preparation and rescue, for administration and co-ordination, the first and last responders. May they find the strength and courage the insight and judgment, the love of humanity to do their best to bring our wisdom and technology to alleviate suffering, to heal injury and to restore the services and infrastructure upon which our lives are built. And may we all find ourselves ready to give support, encouragement, love and gifts as needed.

Ezri me’im Adonai, oseh shamayim va’arets; My help comes from Adonai Who made the heavens and the earth (--Psalm 121; 1)

And the other is by Rabbi David Ingber of Romemu in New York City. The image is of a fallen tree bisecting the main building at Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center, where I have spent many happy retreats (some of them with Reb David, in fact.)

Prayer After the Hurricane

by Rabbi David Ingber

Source of all Life, soothe hearts aching with pain and loss. Source of Compassion, support all of those who are confused and bewildered in the wake of this shocking storm. Mysterious One, move within all of our hearts to help and support one another as we comfort and care for those who are in need. Master of All Healing, heal all who desperately need a refuah shleimah, a full healing in body, heart, mind and spirit. Ana El Na, Refah Nah Lanu - Please loving Source, please heal us.