May 22 is NOW Harvey Milk Day! Rabbi Lisa Edwards writes the Official Prayer.
Rabbi Lisa Edwards from Beth Chayim Chadashim wrote this prayer for Harvey Milk Day. California Faith for Equality, Progressive Jewish Alliance and the Jewish Federation of San Francisco are asking congregations across the state, Jewish and non-Jewish, to use the prayer or an excerpt from the “Hope Speech” in their services that weekend.
A Prayer for California’s Harvey Milk Day, every May 22
Eternal One, You created us b’tzelem Elohim, in Your image, filling us – as You are filled — with hope, hope that we might yet bring to fruition Your vision of cooperation and harmony, of wholeness and peace. You imagined such a world, Holy One, and then instilled within us the ability to imagine it too. You hope even now for such a world, Holy One, knowing You created us with the desire to give each other hope like Yours, hope that tomorrow will find us finally ready, finally able, to bring Your imagined world into being. Blessed are You, Hopeful One, creator of hope and of those who bring it to the world.
Stuart Milk, nephew of Harvey wrote: “That is quite beautiful and I am honored that this prayer will be read and shared on Harvey Milk Day. What a wonderful and appropriate message to go out into the world next weekend. I am sending this on to my family and Nancy Brinker too!! Thank you!”
