May their Memories be a Blessing
יהי זכרם ברוך
Joyce Fienberg
Richard Gottfried
Rose Mallinger
Jerry Rabinowitz
David Rosenthal
Cecil Rosenthal
Bernice Simon
Sylvan Simon
Daniel Stein
Melvin Wax
Irving Younger
These two sections of the liturgy reflect the ways we think and speak about the life of the congregation. In the morning service as traditionally recited on weekdays, we thank God for our ability to be part of a prayer community, and for the opportunity to pray regularly. During Shabbat services, we acknowledge those whose contributions allow the synagogue community to thrive. The victims of the Pittsburgh community were mainstays of their communities. They came to services early to form a minyan, welcomed other congregants, and supported the life of the congregation. These texts celebrate their contributions.
(ג) ברכה לקהל:
מִי שֶׁבֵּרַךְ אֲבותֵינוּ אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקב. הוּא יְבָרֵךְ אֶת כָּל הַקָּהָל הַקָּדושׁ הַזֶּה עִם כָּל קְהִלּות הַקּדֶשׁ... וּמִי שֶׁמְּיַחֲדִים בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּות לִתְפִלָּה. וּמִי שֶׁבָּאִים בְּתוכָם לְהִתְפַּלֵּל... וְכָל מִי שֶׁעוסְקִים בְּצָרְכֵי צִבּוּר בֶּאֱמוּנָה. הַקָּדושׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְשַׁלֵּם שכָרָם וְיָסִיר מֵהֶם כָּל מַחֲלָה וְיִרְפָּא לְכָל גּוּפָם וְיִסְלַח לְכָל עֲונָם. וְיִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה וְהַצְלָחָה בְּכָל מַעֲשה יְדֵיהֶם עִם כָּל יִשרָאֵל אֲחֵיהֶם. וְנאמַר אָמֵן:
May the One Who Blessed our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, bless everyone in this holy congregation, together with all holy congregations...and may God bless those who unite to pray in synagogues, and those who come there to pray...and all those who faithfully engage with the needs of the community....may God give them their reward, and remove from them all illness; may God heal their bodies and forgive their sins. And may God send blessings and success to all that they do, together with all of Israel their brethren. And let us say, Amen.
לְפִיכָךְ אֲנַחְנוּ חַיָּבִים לְהודות לְךָ וּלְשַׁבֵּחֲךָ וּלְפָאֶרְךָ וּלְבָרֵךְ וּלְקַדֵּשׁ וְלָתֵת שֶׁבַח וְהודָיָה לִשְׁמֶךָ. אַשְׁרֵינוּ מַה טּוב חֶלְקֵנוּ וּמַה נָּעִים גּורָלֵנוּ וּמַה יָּפָה יְרֻשָּׁתֵנוּ. אַשְׁרֵינוּ שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ מַשְׁכִּימִים וּמַעֲרִיבִים עֶרֶב וָבקֶר וְאומְרִים פַּעֲמַיִם בְּכָל יום. שְׁמַע יִשרָאֵל ה' אֱלהֵינוּ ה’ אֶחָד.
Therefore, we are obligated to thank You, and to praise, glorify, bless, and sanctify and give praise and thanks to your name. We are happy, how good is our portion and how pleasant is our fate, and how lovely is our inheritance. We are happy, those who came early and stay late, evening and morning, and say twice each day: Listen, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.